Unequal Englishes and Linguistic Justice: Global Englishes and Ideological Transformation in Thai Higher Education

Abstract Native‐speaker norms continue to dominate English language education, reinforcing hierarchies that marginalize diverse Englishes and sustain linguistic injustice in contexts like Thailand. This qualitative study examines the impact of Global Englishes (GE)‐oriented pedagogy on undergraduate students' engagement with linguistic norms, identity, and structural inequality. Data were drawn from semi‐structured interviews and reflective journals with 21 students across seven Thai universities and analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Findings indicate four interrelated areas of transformation. First, students showed early signs of ideological reorientation toward linguistic equality, challenging internalized native‐speaker norms and affirming English as a shared, pluricentric resource. Second, participants reported sociolinguistic empowerment, articulating increased confidence in localized English use and rejecting deficit‐based framings of accent and grammar. Third, students began to develop critical awareness of linguistic inequality, identifying how language standards function as gatekeeping mechanisms that intersect with racial and geopolitical hierarchies. Finally, they offered pedagogical and curricular critiques, exposing the exclusionary logic of monolingual norms and advocating for more inclusive materials and assessment practices, while also acknowledging institutional resistance to change. GE‐informed pedagogy shows potential to unsettle dominant language ideologies, yet its impact is constrained by institutional adherence to native‐speaker norms. Addressing these constraints requires systemic reform in English language teaching curriculum, assessment, and teacher education.