''I don’t feel that my career status will bounce back soon”: Exploring the Impact of Wars and Conflicts on TESOL Educators’ Academic Mobility and Professional Life

Academic mobility has increased in the current globalized knowledge-based world where academics move between countries and institutions to gain, exchange and disseminate knowledge and expertise. TESOL educators have become more mobile in their career and professional development. While previous research has dealt with academic mobility under normal circumstances, little research has focused on mobility during wars and conflicts. The present study aims to fill this gap to advance research and contribute to our understanding of the phenomenon. Fifteen participants took part in the study. A qualitative methodology was adopted with an open-ended survey being used as the main method of data collection. Results revealed that most participants experienced both professional and psychological challenges. Participants also proposed the adoption of several strategies for fellow academics, educational managers, and policymakers to adopt in order to better address any similar circumstances should they happen in the future. The implications are presented and discussed.