Power Dynamics in International Students’ Linguistic Experiences: A Case from China’s EMI Programs

English-medium instruction (EMI) has often been used as a major strategy to attract international students in non-Anglophone countries (Kuroda, 2014; Zhang, 2018). Yet, scholars have cautioned that the dominance of the English language can be seen as an embodiment of Western power in higher education internationalization (Lee, 2021). This qualitative study explores the linguistic experiences of 20 international students from various Asian and African countries in a Chinese university’s EMI programs, focusing on how power dynamics influence their perspectives and experiences of language use. Informed by critical and postcolonial theories, this study introduces a new conceptual framework called the “critical glonacal eye,” which situates international students within global, national, and local—hence “glonacal” (Marginson, 2022)—contexts and recognizes unequal structural forces impacting their perspectives and experiences (Ginelli, 2018; Stein & de Andreotti, 2016). This framework also encourages the researcher to treat international students as epistemic equals (Hayes, 2019) and acknowledges their agency (Heng, 2018) in navigating linguistic power structures. Each participant completed a demographic questionnaire, two semi-structured interviews, and three reflection journals over the 2023-2024 academic year. Preliminary findings reveal that international students often perceive English as a superior language essential for academic success and global mobility—a perception rooted in their countries’ colonial histories and reinforced by contemporary globalization. However, this privileging of English can marginalize students' first languages and undermine their cultural confidence. In Chinese higher education institutions, this dynamic is further complicated by the powerful role of the Chinese language, both locally and increasingly on a global scale. By highlighting the linguistic power imbalances and challenges faced by international students in China’s EMI programs, this research calls for a critical reassessment and more equitable approaches to existing language policies. These initiatives are crucial in developing an inclusive international education landscape that values diversity and promotes equity in China and beyond.