Becoming a bona fide cosmopolitan: unpacking the narratives of Western-situated degree-seeking transnational students in China

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study offers an exploration of the ways in which transnational, degree-seeking, undergraduate students from Anglophone and European countries make sense of their experiences of studying in China. Through an analysis of participants’ verbal, visual, and textual narratives recounted in interviews and participants’ social media postings, the paper examines how Western-situated transnational students attempt to differentiate themselves from various ‘Others’ – other types of international students, as well as immobile Others in both home and host countries. Findings point out that there is a dominant image of the bona fide cosmopolitan, which study participants aspired to be, and hence tried continuously to (re)produce through mobility. In critically reflecting on the transnational students’ performance of bona fide cosmopolitanism, this paper addresses issues related to how Western-situated international students create various Others and simultaneously consume difference.

Resumen

Este estudio cualitativo ofrece una exploración de las formas en que los estudiantes de pregrado transnacionales de países anglófonos y europeos dan sentido a sus experiencias de estudio en China. A través de un análisis de las narrativas verbales, visuales y textuales de los participantes contadas en entrevistas y publicaciones de los participantes en las redes sociales, el artículo examina cómo los estudiantes transnacionales situados en Occidente intentan diferenciarse de varios ‘Otros:’ otros tipos de estudiantes internacionales así como también Otros inmóviles en los países de origen y de acogida. Los hallazgos señalan que existe una imagen dominante del cosmopolita genuino, que los participantes del estudio aspiraban a ser y, por lo tanto, intentaron (re) producir continuamente a través de la movilidad. Al reflexionar críticamente sobre el desempeño del cosmopolitismo genuino de los estudiantes transnacionales, este artículo aborda cuestiones relacionadas con la forma en que los estudiantes internacionales situados en Occidente crean varios Otros y simultáneamente consumen la diferencia.

Résumé

Cette étude qualitative explore les manières dont les étudiants transnationaux de premier cycle, originaires de pays anglophones ou européens et à la recherche de l’obtention d’un diplôme, comprennent leurs expériences estudiantines en Chine. Par le biais d’une analyse des récits oraux, visuels et textuels des participants, transmis pendant des entretiens ou des postes sur les réseaux sociaux, cette communication examine la manière dont les étudiants occidentaux transnationaux tentent de se différencier d’une variété d’« autres »: des autres sortes d’étudiants internationaux ainsi que des Autres statiques dans leurs pays d’origine et leurs pays d’accueil. Les résultats indiquent qu’il y a une image dominante du cosmopolite authentique que les participants à cette étude aspirent à devenir et par conséquent essayent continuellement de (re) produire par le biais de la mobilité. Avec une réflexion critique sur les façons dont les étudiants transnationaux jouent ce personnage de cosmopolite authentique, cette communication aborde des questions liées à la manière dont les étudiants internationaux occidentaux créent une gamme diverse d’Autres tout en consommant en même temps les différences.

KEYWORDS:

• International student mobility
• cosmopolitanism
• China
• Bourdieu
• otherness

Palabras clave:

• movilidad de estudiantes internacionales
• cosmopolitanismo
• China
• Bourdieu
• Alteridad

Mots-clefs:

• mobilité estudiantine internationale
• cosmopolitisme
• Chine
• Bourdieu
• altérité

Acknowledgments

I am indebted to all those who provided extensive and incisive criticisms of all of the many drafts this paper has undergone, especially Dr Johanna Waters and Dr Elaine Ho, as well as three anonymous referees. I would also like to thank the transnational students who took part in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. International students in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are not included in the number.

2. One student held dual citizenship of the US and France.

3. For instance, I encountered several multiracial Chinese American participants and a Chinese adoptee who was raised American. I also included one student with a permanent residency in the US as she was born in Colombia, but grew up in the US since she was five years old and never returned to Colombia.

4. Participants mentioned that they had also considered the US and Canada in North America; Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands in Europe; and Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea in Asia. The US (12), France (6), and the UK (6) were the most popular destinations.