Passports, power, and exclusion in TESOL: a critical narrative inquiry into legitimacy, symbolic capital, and resistance

This article explores the experiences of eight highly qualified South Asian non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) who face systemic exclusion in Gulf and European hiring practices. Using critical narrative inquiry, it contrasts the frequent rejections of five participants with the significantly increased employability of three who gained Western citizenship, despite having the same qualifications. Drawing on the concepts of native-speakerism, Bourdieu’s ideas of capital and field, raciolinguistics, intersectionality, and counter-storytelling, the study identifies six narrative patterns: identity reconstruction, informal leadership, institutional and visa obstacles, emotional exhaustion, community support, and the “passport pivot.” These counter-stories challenge assumptions of neutrality and meritocracy, showing that TESOL’s global labor market is influenced more by geopolitics, race, and citizenship than by expertise. The article advocates for skills-based hiring, blind shortlisting, and greater recognition of NNEST leadership to foster ethical and equitable recruitment. An urgent rethinking of legitimacy in international English language education is essential.