International students with dependent children: the reproduction of gender norms

Abstract

Extant research on family migration for education has focused almost exclusively on the education of children. We thus know very little about family migration when it is driven by the educational projects of parents. To begin to redress this gap, this paper explores the experiences of families who have moved to the United Kingdom primarily to enable the mother or father to pursue a degree. It argues that, in common with what we know of UK student-parents, both choices about and experiences of higher education are strongly differentiated by gender.

Keywords:

• higher education
• family
• gender
• international education
• status
• migration

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank: the Nuffield Foundation for funding the research; Sarah Robinson and Victoria Young for conducting many of the interviews; Beatrice Merrick and Johanna Waters for introducing me to useful literature; and the referees for very helpful feedback. I am also extremely grateful to the student-parents who found time in their busy lives to take part in the project.

Notes

1. Pseudonyms are used throughout.