Reimagining EAP through (Dis)comfort: Race, Identity, and Emotion in Academic English

This chapter interrogates the absence of explicit engagement with race and racism in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), showing how neutrality, institutional constraints, and teacher discomfort shape pedagogy. Despite growing awareness of systemic inequities in higher education, EAP classrooms often sidestep racial discourse, which leaves both students and educators unprepared to address the realities of diverse academic contexts. Drawing on critical race studies and pedagogies of discomfort, the chapter argues for an emotionally responsive EAP pedagogy that acknowledges the lived experiences of ethnically minoritized students and educators. Grounded in the author’s classroom practice, it reflects on teaching racial bias in a foundation year program and proposes discomfort as a framework for engaging race-related topics. Strategies suggested include: scaffolding emotional engagement, rethinking classroom safety, cultivating strategic empathy and addressing teacher positionality.