International Student Mobility and Transnational Friendships

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 [...]
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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.