Mapping the interplay between Canada’s international education strategy and Chinese students: A governmentality perspective

• In Event: Contested communities, identities, and policies: Chinese overseas students and higher education in the United States, Hong Kong, and Canada

Abstract

The top four English-speaking destination countries for international students - the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada - have all developed their international education strategies since 2012. Furthermore, these forward-looking national policies have paid special attention to Chinese students mainly because they make up the largest group of international students globally. Taking Canada as a case country, this paper examines how its international education strategy interplays with Chinese students politically.

The theoretical framework draws from Foucault’s notion of “governmentality”, that is, “the way in which the conduct of individuals or of groups might be directed” (1982, p. 221). From this perspective, Canada’s international education strategy is conceived of as a discourse influencing Chinese students to form taken-for-granted assumptions about what is typical, normal, or appropriate regarding their international education experience.

Data sources include Canada’s international education strategy and transcripts of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 6 Chinese graduate students currently studying in Canada. Analytical methods include thematic qualitative analysis with some components of critical discourse analysis, and theoretical analysis.

Findings show that the strategy is a practice of leadership through which a body of key stakeholders of international education in Canada influences Chinese students by means of partnership building to achieve its neoliberal goals. Findings also show that Chinese students can be empowered in and through their international education experience so as to resist, challenge and even change the power relations between themselves and the strategy not only by generating counter-discourses but also by acquiring and exercising emergent leadership.

Author

• Gang Li, University of British Columbia