“I know what I want, but the system wants something else”: a narrative inquiry into L2 investment and imagined identities

Purpose This study explores how an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner in an Intensive English Language Program (IELP) at a Turkish university constructs her future English-speaking selves and how these imagined identities shape her investment in language learning within an exam-oriented institutional context. Drawing on theories of identity, imagined communities, and investment, the study aims to illuminate how learners negotiate tensions between personal aspirations and institutional demands over time. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative narrative inquiry, the study focuses on the longitudinal learning story of one focal learner, Melisa. Data were generated through multiple in-depth narrative interviews, institutional documents and contextual data from the IELP-setting. Analysis was conducted using thematic narrative analysis, attending to both the content of Melisa's narratives and how she positioned herself across past, present, and imagined future learning experiences. Findings The findings reveal three interconnected phases in Melisa's English learning trajectory: early disengagement shaped by exam-driven schooling, a turning point marked by the emergence of imagined academic and global identities, and a negotiated and strategically adapted form of investment within the university preparatory program. While Melisa sustained strong future-oriented aspirations, her investment was often strategically shaped by institutional constraints, leading her to balance institutional compliance with self-directed learning practices. Originality/value By offering a detailed narrative account, this study contributes to research on second language (L2) identity and investment by showing how learners maintain purpose and agency even when institutional conditions limit meaningful participation. Methodologically, it demonstrates the value of narrative inquiry for capturing identity and investment as lived, evolving processes.