Student Mobility and Narrative in Europe: The new strangers

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Student Mobility and Narrative in Europe The new strangers Copyright Contents List of tables Acknowledgements Introduction 1 The stranger’s template Introduction: the conceptual lineage of the sociology of the stranger The spatial position of the stranger Discontinuities in time The social eccentricity of strangers Symbolic ambivalence: the ‘qualities’ of the stranger Fragmented identities Redefining the modern stranger Conclusion: the characteristics of the stranger 2 Narratives of student travellers Introduction: a diversity of narratives The European student traveller, a new stranger The student stay abroad, tradition and innovation in Europe Methodological choices Three case studies The profile of the students Conclusion: a narrative polyphony 3 Mobility capital: a taste for living abroad Introduction: a migratory elite Family history and mobility Travellers and others…: the travel bug Previous experience of mobility Learning mobility, a cautious progress The first experience of adaptation as an initiation Personality features of the potential wanderer The mobility capital Conclusion: the potential wanderer – ‘a flavour for living abroad’ (John) 4 An adventure into another time–space Introduction: an invitation to travel Living abroad as an imperative Motivations: residence abroad as an added value The exultation of language: ‘speaking foreignness’ Bilingual or trilingual students: the deepening process Attraction to difference: ‘living foreignness’ International openness: at ease in diversity ‘A kind of emptiness’ (Sophie): life abroad as self-discovery An adventure into another time–space Conclusion: continuity and discontinuity 5 The arrival: a rite of passage Introduction: admission into a new cultural world The stranger as an intruder Arrival as a rite of passage Host environments and approaching strangers: perceived openness The choice of host country: selective affinities Arriving in a foreign country and feeling lost Communication strain or ‘culture fatigue’ Solitude, alienation, anomie Conclusion: jumping from the stalls to the stage 6 Redefining culture shock in a European context Introduction: the personal crisis questioned The narratives on culture shock Conflict, crisis, shock, surprise or discovery? The U- and W-curve hypothesis revisited The year abroad: the different stages Sojourners and home ties: the sanctuary of the past Re-entry shock Conclusion: redefining culture shock – ‘you bend, but you don’t break’ (Damien) 7 New spaces, new places Introduction: a strange environment New spatial conditions: the geographical territory Different social relations Staking out a familiar habitat: from dislocations to familiarity A personal space: the issue of accommodation Conclusion: a new appraisal of space – ‘the difficulty with living in one place’ (Hélène) 8 The new social setting Introduction: moving in and taking part New socio-professional settings and roles University life as an Erasmus student Schools in the life of language assistants The EAP dual experience Participation in the new social scene: shared activities ‘Cultural’ activities Learning a foreign culture abroad Conclusion: from space to society 9 The creation of a new social fabric Introduction: social seduction Social contacts and degrees of strangeness The ethnic group The international group A special international group: the EAP social scene The ‘seduction’ of the natives ‘The key to getting on with people’ (Marina): key people Conclusion: from new spaces to new faces – social relationships as home 10 Adaptation: chameleon or clam Introduction: adaptation, state and process Defining adaptation Feeling ‘comfortable’ or ‘at home’: acquiring ‘a history’ over time The adaptation process: four facilitating factors Personal qualities of good adaptors: openness, tolerance and flexibility Assessing adaptation: three contrasting narratives The students’ rating of their final position Conclusion: ‘a life lesson’ (Hélène) Conclusion Annexes Annexe 1. The experience of strangers crossing borders: general properties Annexe 2. Study abroad questio6nnaire Annexe 3. The interview schedule Annexe 4. Interviewee profiles Annexe 5. Nationality of interviewees Annexe 6. Students with mixed families Annexe 7. Previous experiences abroad Annexe 8. Motivations of some Erasmus students Annexe 9. Motivations of some EAP students Annexe 10. Forms of accommodation selected by the students Notes Bibliography Index