Geoforum
Volume 80, 2017, Pages 114-122

Distinctive and comparative places: Alternative narratives of distinction within international student mobility (Article)

Prazeres L.* , Findlay A. , McCollum D. , Sanders N. , Musil E. , Krisjane Z. , Apsite-Berina E.
  • a Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, Irvine Building, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AL, United Kingdom
  • b Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, Irvine Building, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AL, United Kingdom
  • c Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, Irvine Building, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AL, United Kingdom
  • d Department of Demography, University of Groningen, Landleven 1, AD Groningen, 9747, Netherlands
  • e Department of Geography and Regional Research, University of Vienna, Universitätsstrasse 7, Vienna, 1010, Austria
  • f Department of Geography, University of Latvia, Raina blvd. 19, Riga, LV1586, Latvia
  • g Department of Geography, University of Latvia, Raina blvd. 19, Riga, LV1586, Latvia

Abstract

Moving beyond the ‘world-class’ institutional model of international student mobility, this paper examines alternative narratives of distinction relating to place of study. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with international students at universities in the UK, Austria and Latvia, we illustrate how students inside and outside mainstream reputable higher education institutions narrate and reconfigure markers of distinction to validate their international mobility and location of study, in part to compete with peers at other (more prestigious) institutions. We demonstrate the importance of lifestyle and experiential places within a global differentiated higher education landscape and argue that many students engage in comparative narratives of place of study to authorise the symbolic capital associated with international education. The findings also consider how experiential places and mobility capital are used for distinction not only during educational mobility but within post-study aspirations. © 2017

Author Keywords

Mobility capital distinction international education Mobility aspiration Comparative places International student mobility

Index Keywords

international migration United Kingdom mobility Austria Latvia educational development student
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85012273691&doi=10.1016%2fj.geoforum.2017.02.003&partnerID=40&md5=e12efaf9b635d313f6e65cc1cfe9430c
DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2017.02.003
ISSN: 00167185
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English