Bridging Educational Inequities: The Impact of English-Medium Instruction on Intercultural Access and Inclusion in Türkiye

Authors : Şenol Deniz

Pages : 394-414

View : 92 | Download : 59

Publication Date : 2025-12-26

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study critically examines the paradoxical role of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) in shaping educational equity, social mobility, and intercultural inclusion in Turkish higher education. Employing a thematic literature review and Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis, the research synthesizes peer-reviewed empirical studies indexed in Scopus, SSCI, ERIC, and Google Scholar. Four interrelated themes emerge: (1) the reproduction of educational inequities via unequal access to linguistic capital, (2) linguistic elitism fostered by English-only policies, (3) identity struggles in monolingual EMI settings, and (4) policy-practice mismatches at institutional levels. The analysis foregrounds the sociolinguistic and emotional challenges of students from under-resourced public universities and highlights translanguaging as an emergent, unofficial pedagogical strategy. Theoretically anchored in Bourdieu’s conceptions of capital and critical multilingualism, the study proposes a context-sensitive EMI model incorporating bilingual pedagogy, faculty development, and participatory policymaking. It contends that Türkiye’s EMI expansion, while globally aspirational, risks exacerbating existing inequalities unless reframed through inclusive, ethically grounded practices. The study offers nuanced insights into the political, pedagogical, and affective dimensions of EMI in stratified educational landscapes.
Keywords : İngilizce Eğitim (EMI), Eğitimde Eşitlik, Dilsel Sermaye, Translanguaging Pedagojisi, Kültürlerarası Kapsayıcılık, Yükseköğretimde Dil Politikası.

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