International student well-being and the influence of politics

Emily-Marie Pacheco*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract / Description of output

Political developments play a central role in shaping international education experiences, and the mental health of international students. This chapter systematically explores how political developments in home and host nations often influence international student experiences in ways which affect students’ well-being; while also considering the role of economic changes and technological advancements, from a psychological perspective. Specifically, Pacheco discusses how twenty-first-century geopolitics, technological advancements, and economic trends can act as manipulators of international student stress across three specific domains: transitional stress (i.e. adjustment, rejection), social stress (i.e. support networks, identity) and life stress (i.e. financial, familial, emotional distress). The dynamics of geopolitics in home and host environments are also explored, as each context may present unique challenges and barriers to the positive mental health of international students. Drawing attention to the well-established knowledge concerning international student well-being, and highlighting a lack of knowledge where the experiences of individuals sojourning from regions experiencing political conflict are concerned, Pacheco ultimately argues it is necessary to consider the impact both macro level and micro level political shifts have on international students’ mental health, as this population is dually susceptible to stress but is often overlooked. As context to this argument, this chapter also places a special emphasis on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as this region not only harbours the fast-growing outwardly mobile student population but also currently faces the greatest proportion of political unrest.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationRethinking Education Across Borders
Subtitle of host publicationEmerging Issues and Critical Insights on Globally Mobile Students
EditorsUttam Gaulee, Shyam Sharma, Krishna Bista
PublisherSpringer
Chapter11
Pages193-207
Number of pages15
ISBN (Electronic)9789811524004, 9789811523991
ISBN (Print)9789811523984, 9789811524011
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2020

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • international students
  • migration
  • cross-cultural psychology
  • well-being
  • geopolitics
  • Middle East and North Africa

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