Johanna Waters - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Johanna Waters

Sociology, Dec 1, 2009

The following acknowledgment should also be added: 'We would like to thank Helena Pimlott-Wilson ... more The following acknowledgment should also be added: 'We would like to thank Helena Pimlott-Wilson for conducting the interviews; the British Academy for funding the research; and all the respondents who gave up their time to be interviewed.'

British Journal of Educational Studies, Aug 20, 2021

This paper explores the contemporary relationship between international student migration and dia... more This paper explores the contemporary relationship between international student migration and diaspora formation. It argues that international students have been largely absent from recent discussions of 'knowledge diasporas', where migrants' 'home' states attempt to harness and co-opt the skills and knowledge of their émigrés. This is surprising, given students' evident role in knowledge circulation and exchange. In this paper, we foreground the significance of international students but also explore their relationship to diaspora formation from a different angle. We argue that some states are increasingly engaging in (sometimes seemingly contradictory) policies designed to obstruct overseas diaspora formation, and these policies centre on their international student populations. Through a number of case studies and drawing on the secondary literature, we demonstrate the ways in which states are strategising to repatriate international students following their studies overseas. More broadly, we argue, this represents an alternative to popular notions of brain circulation and knowledge diasporas, chiming with a far more long-standing concern with 'brain drain'.

Higher Education

Following its departure from the European Union in 2020, the UK left the Erasmus + student mobili... more Following its departure from the European Union in 2020, the UK left the Erasmus + student mobility scheme, replacing it with the ‘Turing Scheme’. The scheme is underpinned by four key objectives that address what the government sees as particular socio-economic and geo-political challenges: to promote ‘Global Britain’, through ‘forging new relationships across the world’; to ‘support social mobility and widen participation across the UK’; to develop ‘key skills’, bridging ‘the gap between education and work’; and to ensure ‘value for UK taxpayers’ in international student mobility. In this paper, we draw on an analysis of the websites of 100 UK higher education institutions to explore the messages given to students about the Turing Scheme. In particular, we focus on geopolitical positioning through ‘Global Britain’, the perceived importance of socio-economic diversification through ‘widening participation’, and the underexplored role played by third parties in the provision and adm...

Student Migrants and Contemporary Educational Mobilities, 2021

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

Social Sciences, 2018

Around 2009 some UK universities (based outside of the capital) began to open ‘satellite campuses... more Around 2009 some UK universities (based outside of the capital) began to open ‘satellite campuses’ in London. There are currently 14 such campuses at present, which have been developed primarily with an international student market in mind. Concerns have been raised, however, about the quality of teaching on these campuses and the fact that student attainment is ostensibly falling significantly below that for the ‘home’ campus. This project is the first of its kind to investigate, systematically, the ways in which universities are representing themselves in relation to these campuses (data include an analysis of prospectuses, YouTube content, websites and material garnered at open days). Using these data, we discuss the role that the City of London plays as a pivotal backdrop to these developments: the way it serves to substitute and compensate for lower levels of resources provided directly to the student from the university (here we consider accommodation, the outsourcing of teach...

Sociology, 2009

While the literature on highly skilled international migration has grown substantially over recen... more While the literature on highly skilled international migration has grown substantially over recent years, the motivations and experiences of an important sub-group — the internationally mobile student — have remained under-researched. In an attempt to redress this gap, this article draws on in-depth interviews with 85 young adults, to explore the choices and motivations of UK students who choose to study abroad for the whole of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. While studies of east to west migration have typically emphasised the importance of an international higher education as a high-prestige, first choice option for those students who can afford it, we argue that, for UK students, choices are configured differently. For many of our respondents, overseas education offered primarily a ‘second chance’ at accessing elite education.

Geoforum, 2015

This paper examines the enduring separation and isolation of elite schools in England, in the fac... more This paper examines the enduring separation and isolation of elite schools in England, in the face of increasing and substantial internationalisation. It presents the findings of a research project examining the geographical narratives produced by 30 elite schools on their websites and through their prospectuses, newsletters, blogs and twitter feeds. A critical visual and textual analysis was undertaken. Drawing on these data, the paper argues that elite schools remain highly focused on promoting and defending their separateness and isolation, despite extensive, documented international involvements. Work on institutional and carceral geographies and geographies of education have provided some theoretical justification for why this might be the case, and we explore these reasons here. The paper concludes with a plea for more work on the elite schooling sector in England, as their spatial practices (isolation and internationalisation) continue to have a weighty bearing upon society.

Sociology, 2014

Analyses of UK higher education have provided compelling evidence of the way in which this sector... more Analyses of UK higher education have provided compelling evidence of the way in which this sector has been affected by globalisation. There is now a large literature documenting the internationalisation of British universities, and the strategic and economic importance attached to attracting students from abroad. Within the schools sector, it has been argued that parents are increasingly concerned about the acquisition of valuable multicultural ‘global capital’. Nevertheless, we know little about whether ‘internationalism’ and/or the inculcation of ‘global capital’ is an explicit focus of UK schools. To start to redress this gap, this article draws on an analysis of websites, prospectuses and other publicly available documents to explore the extent to which internationalism is addressed within the public face that schools present to prospective pupils, and the nature of any such messages that are conveyed.

Sociological Research Online, 2011

An article in The Guardian in 2006 claimed that: ‘some bright students have found an answer to th... more An article in The Guardian in 2006 claimed that: ‘some bright students have found an answer to the fees nightmare: in Europe’. It went on to argue that the introduction of variable fees in the UK in 2006 had encouraged some UK students to consider moving overseas for their degrees and, in particular, to European countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands, which charged low fees or no fees at all. While there have been a small number of further press reports which have indicated that changes to the funding of higher education in the UK have encouraged more young people to consider seriously the possibility of studying abroad, we still know relatively little about the impact of financial factors on a decision to pursue a degree overseas. Although many researchers have explored the economic rewards which often accrue in the medium- or long-term as a result of overseas study, the academic literature has much less to say about both the impact of fee differentials on young people's ...

Population, Space and Place, 2010

As interest in the geographies of student mobilities grows, this paper examines the experiences o... more As interest in the geographies of student mobilities grows, this paper examines the experiences of UK students overseas. More specifically, it considers the ‘international’ nature of their experiences, asking: to what extent do students actively seek out and encounter ‘cultural difference’ through their educational choices? International students are often described by those advocating the internationalisation of education as potential ‘global citizens’, cosmopolitans and ambassadors of inter‐cultural understanding. However, our research on UK students has suggested a more complex engagement with ‘diversity’ through international education. First, we examine the motivations of UK students, and show that whilst many claim to be seeking ‘something different’ from an overseas education, at the same time they also desire a ‘knowable’ destination. Film and television were very significant in terms of making certain places familiar to students and thereby influencing their decisions. Seco...

Journal of Research in International Education, 2009

In the context of increasing academic interest in the internationalization of education and the i... more In the context of increasing academic interest in the internationalization of education and the international mobility of university students, this article draws on findings of a recent research project examining students from the UK as they seek higher education overseas before entering the labour market. The discussion is framed around four key themes (the importance of `second chances'; `global circuits of higher education'; `experiences of travel' and `labour market outcomes'), which address the motivations and experiences of 85 individuals who are seriously considering or have recently obtained an international degree.

Globalisation, Societies and Education, 2010

A recurrent theme in the literature on transnational mobility-and particularly that pertaining to... more A recurrent theme in the literature on transnational mobility-and particularly that pertaining to the young and/or highly skilled-is the individualised nature of such movement, as people move to take advantage of opportunities in an increasingly interdependent world. Drawing on research with 85 young adults who had moved overseas for their higher education, or were seriously contemplating doing so, this paper subjects this claim to critical scrutiny. Indeed, it suggests that while internationally mobile students are clearly only a subset of the broader category of transnational migrants, they nevertheless demonstrate important ways in which mobility is often socially-embedded, grounded within networks of both family and friends. It then points to the socially reproductive nature of such ties, and discusses their implications for the development of 'mobility capital'.

British Journal of Sociology of Education, 2010

Johanna Waters is a lecturer in Geography at the University of Liverpool, with degrees from the u... more Johanna Waters is a lecturer in Geography at the University of Liverpool, with degrees from the universities of Oxford and British Columbia. She has published widely on issues relating to transnational migration, family strategies and education.

British Educational Research Journal, 2012

Handbook of Children and Youth Studies, 2014

Bringing to the handbook a particular perspective on "space and place," this chapter examines the... more Bringing to the handbook a particular perspective on "space and place," this chapter examines the dysfunctional and relational nature of "educational mobilities" and their impacts on "family." It addresses literature on mobility for education and proffers a critique of the generally "favorable" tone of this work. The chapter considers, first, how educational mobilities have been conceptualized in the academic literature; then, it discusses the idea of "dysfunctional mobilities" by focusing on a smaller body of work that has been quietly uncovering the "downsides" of migration for education. More specifically, the chapter argues that, far from representing a positive strategy, the consequences of mobility can, in some cases, be chaotic and damaging. It concludes by arguing for the need to see young people's mobilities in "different ways" and suggesting how educational mobilities might contribute to a broader trend in the social sciences reflecting a "mobilities paradigm."

Globalisation, Societies and Education, 2011

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or sy... more This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

Population, Space and Place, 2009

... Correspondence to: Johanna L. Waters, Department of Geography, Roxby Building, University of ... more ... Correspondence to: Johanna L. Waters, Department of Geography, Roxby Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZT, UK. ... So she thought maybe me going to Canada is better for my whole family&amp;#x27; (male, in his 40s, from Taiwan, first generation immigrant, Van-couver). ...