FROM LOCAL STUDENTS TO GLOBAL PARTICIPANTS: ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA AND IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN A PROVINCIAL VIETNAMESE UNIVERSITY

Amid the intertwining discourses of nationalism and globalization, this qualitative study examines how students at a regional Vietnamese university create and negotiate their English-related identities. The study examines how students envision using English to participate in international communities in the future, drawing on Norton's idea of identity investment and Jenkins' work on English as a Lingua Franca. Ten Long An University undergraduates participated in semi-structured interviews, which were then thematically analyzed. Results indicate that students envision themselves as future global professionals while maintaining strong local identities. Rather than a sign of cultural replacement, English is seen as a strategic resource for adaptability. However, perceived linguistic legitimacy, institutional restrictions, and unequal access to educational resources shape identity. By highlighting how global English identities are negotiated in resource-limited higher education settings, the study advances both identity research and English as a Lingua Franca.