Includes bibliographical references (p. [155]-165) and index.

"Drawing on a longitudinal case study of immigrant women in Canada, Bonny Norton suggests that second language acquisition theory has not adequately formulated a conception of identity that integrates the language learner and the language learning context. Such theory, in particular, has not given sufficient attention to relations of power between language learners and target language speakers. She suggests that a post-structuralist conception of identity as multiple, a site of struggle, and subject to change is an important contribution to the field of language learning and teaching. Further, she argues for a conception of investment to capture the complex and sometimes ambivalent relationship of language learners to the target language." "Integrating research, theory and classroom practice, this book will be of interest to students, teachers and researchers in the fields of second language learning and teaching, TESOL, applied linguistics and language planning."--BOOK JACKET.