Student Mobility and Narrative in Europe

Bringing together case studies and theory, this book is the first in-depth qualitative study of student migration within Europe. Drawing on the theory of 'the stranger' as a sociological type, the author suggests that the travelling European students can be seen as a new migratory elite. The book presents the narratives of travelling students, explains their motivations, the effects of movement into a new social and cultural context, the problems of adaptation, and describes the construction of social networks, and the process of adaptation to new cultures. Introduction; Chapter 1 The stranger's template; Chapter 2 Narratives of student travellers; Chapter 3 Mobility capital: a taste for living abroad; Chapter 4 An adventure into another time-space; Chapter 5 The arrival: a rite of passage; Chapter 6 Redefining culture shock in a European context; Chapter 7 New spaces, new places; Chapter 8 The new social setting; Chapter 9 The creation of a new social fabric; Chapter 10 Adaptation: chameleon or clam; Chapter 11 Conclusion;