Epistemic outcomes of English medium instruction in a South Korean higher education institution

Abstract

This paper explores the epistemic outcomes of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in a South Korean Higher Education (HE) context. In order to understand the epistemic outcomes, the exploration draws on existing conceptualisations of linguistic and symbolic capital, and the literature on epistemic justice. The paper makes use of qualitative interview data generated with ten Business and Engineering undergraduate students. The analysis reveals that students’ use and trust the Korean and English languages differently across EMI situations. This observation is used to identify two undesirable epistemic outcomes, including: (a) how students are prevented from negotiating understanding of HE subject content using their L1, and (b) the wider epistemic implications of English as the language that provides access to HE subject content. Finally, with reference to Fricker’s theory of ‘epistemic injustice’, we reflect on the new theoretical understanding we have developed of epistemic outcomes in this South Korean multilingual HE context.

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