ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book highlights the importance of the role of language in the everyday lives of professional Zimbabweans in Yorkshire. It offers a critical sociolinguistic perspective on the work of a settlement Non-Governmental Organisation in Barcelona and how 'global' English does not play a significant role in the placement of migrants in the labour market. Using ethnographic tools, the book focuses on the professional trajectories of seven African migrants in Barcelona. It presents the migratory trajectories of African born-academic returnees who take up employment at a university in South Africa. The book also focuses on the narratives of six international academics in higher education in the United Kingdom where English plays an important linguistic capital for success. It investigates the experiences of a small group of Canadian newcomers and their teacher in an English language employment preparation course.
