Browsing by Author "Dakhouche, Fahima"

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    L2 Investment and Imagined Futures in an Algerian ESP Context: A Mixed-Methods Study of Law and Political Science Students’ at Khenchela University
    (UNIVERSITY OF ABBES LAGHROUR-KHENCHELA, 2026) Boughougal, Maroua; Dakhouche, Fahima
    Abstract The global shift toward English as linguistic capital has driven educational reforms in Algeria, yet existing research remains largely descriptive, neglecting the sociological complexity of language learning. Therefore, this study examines L2 investment and imagined communities among Algerian Law and Political Science students at the University of Khenchela. This study is guided by Norton’s (2001) concept of imagined communities and Darvin and Norton (2015) model of investment. In this study, particular attention is paid to gender as an ideological filter shaping investment trajectories. To maneuver this research, a convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, involving data gathered from 142 student questionnaires, and 19 structured interviews (13 students, 6 legal and political experts). Data were triangulated to answer three main research questions effectively. Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS package, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Three findings emerged. First, students imagine global careers, but gender filters the path: women face capital policing, and men cite spatial barriers. Second, investment is high (1.6-2.1) but learning occurs informally through movies and apps; a shadow curriculum that supersedes ESP. Third, a mismatch exists: domestic legal practice that does not use English, international sectors treat it as a bonus, and graduates that lack confidence despite skills. In the end, this study revealed misaligned capital in a transitional context. Implications include ESP curriculum reform, integration of digital learning ecologies, and professional pragmatic training. Keywords: L2 investment, imagined communities, ESP, Algerian higher education, gendered capital policing.