The nomadic identities of expatriate academics in the UAE private universities

<p>This study aimed to explore the perceptions of expatriate academics of their subjectivities and their understandings of their academic identities in the context of private universities in the United Arab Emirates. Situated within the theoretical framework of the nomadic subjectivity theory, and within the conceptual framework of the interpretive paradigm, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with women and men expatriate academics in six different private universities in the UAE. Results showed that the participants' multiple sense of belonging, diverse experiences, and transitory existence suggest they can be regarded as nomadic academics who live physically and mentally at the borders of multiple cultures, countries, and ideologies. The study showed the complexities of their perceptions and understandings of their self-image and roles. Results also indicated that most of the interviewed academics identified with their teacher identity and prioritized it over researcher identity, with their perception of research as a requirement.</p>