"I wouldn't imagine having to go through all this and still be the same person. No way": structure, reflexivity and international students. (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Matthews, Blair
• Is Part Of: Journal of research in international education. Volume 16:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 265
• Page End: 278
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Structure -- agency -- reflexivity -- social networks -- international students; International education -- Periodicals; Éducation internationale -- Périodiques; International education; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); Periodicals; 370.11705
• DOI: 10.1177/1475240917745611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-2409

Abstract

International students at universities away from their home context experience a significant change to the way they engage with the world, as they think, reflect and act in response to the new context. Drawing on Archer's concept of reflexivity (2003; 2007; 2012), this paper demonstrates that international students are compelled into reflexive deliberation, which precipitates a change in agency. This paper provides empirical evidence of specific generative mechanisms of the international student experience, which contribute to the conditioning of agency.