This study examines how university foreign language teachers in China exercise agency in National Social Science Fund of China (NSSFC) applications, using a Complex Dynamic Systems Theory perspective. Narrative frames and semi-structured interviews revealed subsystems of teacher agency (beliefs, practice, emotions) and highlighted the situated and relational nature of their agency for research. The findings suggest viewing teacher agency as complex and dynamic, offering a framework for understanding and improving funding application experiences.

Xiaolei Ruan, Yubin Zhu, Auli Toom