Identity, Power, and Agency

This chapter explains how the notions of identity, power, and agency are, on the one hand, intrinsically related to language education, and more specifically to language learning autonomy, and on the other, how they are also connected to the field of cultural studies, and more specifically to post-colonialism. It examines how identity, power, and agency interact in language education. The chapter explores mainstream approaches to language learning autonomy by going through a brief explanation of the historical evolution of autonomy, its connections with language education, and finally with the psychological focus of applied linguistics which is the focus used at the UA Language Department. It presents alternative approaches of language learning autonomy in the fields of critical applied linguistics and how they integrate students’ social and historical environment in the learning of languages.