Rules of Engagement Beyond the Gates: Negotiating and Capitalising on Student ‘Experience’

Negotiating queer and religious identities in higher education: queering ‘progression’ in the ‘university experience’

“…Whilst the students in this study encountered complex hierarchies, conflicts and exclusions as they embodied multiple diversities in spaces of Higher Education, many also welcomed the culture of university where opportunities for understanding themselves -and others -could emerge, often described as cumulative and as part of a personalised journey or 'becoming' (Addison, 2012;D'Emilio, 1992;Mountford, 2014). Scholarship and learning plays a crucial role as a resource in facilitating these opportunities, as students became intellectually stimulated; indeed this educational 'utopia' is extremely welcome at such a pivotal time of transition in their lives.…”

“…Scholarship and learning plays a crucial role as a resource in facilitating these opportunities, as students became intellectually stimulated; indeed this educational 'utopia' is extremely welcome at such a pivotal time of transition in their lives. This does, however, remobilise distinctions in allowing some to 'become' (Reay et al, 2010;Mountford, 2014). It leads us to consider how those queer identifying religious youths who do not have access to higher education make sense of their identities differently, and what resources they might deploy.…”

“…'diverse' and 'non-traditional' students experience university transition remains an important concern (Terenzini, et al 1994;Ahmed, 2012;Mountford, 2014;Rumens, 2014;Taylor, 2012Taylor, , 2014, with research highlighting persistent raced, gendered and classed inequalities (Addison, 2012;Ahmed, 2012;Reay et al, 2010;Taylor , 2012).…”

“…Overall, a rather consumerist measure of diversity as done-by and produced-for white-middle-class students, residing in elite universities, is celebrated. Within educational measures, increasingly codified into the 'university experience' (Addison, 2012;Mountford, 2014), it is important to consider how presumed inclusive and tolerant spaces accommodate students who identify as both queer and religious (Sharma and Guest, 2013).…”

Learning, using and exchanging global competence in the context of international postgraduate mobility

“…Jasmine's reflection links to the general characteristics of the ' university experience ' conceptualised as a period of intense transformation and self-exploration, with complex and overlapping personal and social influences significantly shaping educational spaces, subjects and subjectivities (Falconer and Taylor 2016: 1). Students like Jasmine welcome the multicultural university where opportunities for understanding themselvesand otherscould emerge (Addison 2012, Mountford 2014. As she further narrates on her study abroad experience:…”