Introduction: Narrative, Second Language Identity and Study Abroad

The title of this book includes three terms that have opened up new and exciting areas in second language learning research: narrative, second language identity, and study abroad. In this introduction, we explain how these three concepts come together in the book. Second language identity and study abroad are discussed briefly here and in more detail in Chapters 2–3. In this chapter, we also outline the range of study abroad programmes available to Hong Kong students. Our discussion of narrative is situated first within the idea of second language identity and, later, in the context of the design of the Second language identities and study abroad research project on which this book is based. The chapter concludes with a brief outline of the structure and content of the book.