International Student Mobility and Transnational Friendships

ISBN-13: 9781137405241 / Angielski / Twarda / 2014 / 164 str.

Basak Bilecen

Opis

Despite the overstated, pessimistic claims that the social relationships as well as their quality are weakening and that individuals have become lonely, isolated, selfinterested, uncaring and lacking in trust as a result of the 'individualisation' of contemporary 'Western' life, relationships today are far more subtle, complex and multifaceted. Friends play a crucial role in the lives of international students and provide vital support to those studying abroad. However, the concept and meaning of friendship have been altered considerably and are challenged by our increasingly mobile and interconnected world.

This book explores how friendship is done by international doctoral students through an analysis of their supportive practices within and across borders. Through a fine-grained analysis of their networks and friendships with a transnational lens, this book argues that transnational student friendship involves a wide variety of forms, patterns and practices, with meanings shaped and reshaped through mobility, international education and transnational formations.

Recenzje

"International student mobility is a phenomenon of ever growing importance. This new contribution by Bilecen makes a valuable extension to our understanding of how international students are part of transnational networks. The sharp focus of this volume on the significance of transnational friendships by doctoral students will be of especial interest to sociologists and geographers as they seek to extend their understanding of the significance of spatial and social proximity in the lived experience of international students." - Allan Findlay, University of St Andrews, Scotland

"This book makes a significant contribution to the growing literature on international student migration and mobility. It brings a novel 'friendship' lens to further understand the lives of highly skilled transnationalists, and their role in creating social networks within the global economy." - Russell King, Professor of Geography, University of Sussex, UK

Spis treści

1. Transnational Friendships and Supportive Practices: An Introduction 2. The Contemporary Meaning of Friendship 3. Friendship as 'Emotional Work' 4. Friendship as Trust and Reciprocity 5. Friendship as Solidarity 6. A Relational Examination of Distance, Meanings and Practices

O autorze

Ba?ak Bilecen is a Lecturer and Researcher at Bielefeld University, Germany. Her research interests include sociology of migration, transnational studies, relational sociology and social network analysis.