Growing Up in Transit: The Politics of Belonging at an International School

Danau Tanu's study of the children of serial migrants challenges the Eurocentric ideology of international schools and reveals the hierarchies of race, culture, and class that shape popularity, friendships, and romance on campus. Tanu befriended transnational youth, often called "Third Culture Kids," to present their struggles with identity, belonging, and internalized racism in their own words, providing an engaging, anthropological critique of Western-style cosmopolitanism and its institutionalization as cultural capital.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 31 December 2020
Publisher: Berghahn Books

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in multiculturalism and migration, as well as food for thought for scholars studying migration in less privileged contexts. The author, Danau Tanu, argues that the international schools attended by the children of serial migrants promote an ideology of being "international" that is Eurocentric. Despite the cosmopolitan rhetoric, hierarchies of race, culture, and class shape popularity, friendships, and romance on campus.

To explore these issues, Tanu befriended transnational youth, often called "Third Culture Kids," and presented their struggles with identity, belonging, and internalized racism in their own words. The result is the first engaging, anthropological critique of the way Western-style cosmopolitanism is institutionalized as cultural capital to reproduce global socio-cultural inequalities.

The introduction provides insight into the author's motivations for writing the book. They wanted to write about people who live in multiple countries as children and grow up into adults addicted to migrating. They were particularly interested in probing the contradiction between the celebrated image of "global citizens" and the economic privilege that makes their mobile lifestyle possible. From a personal angle, the author was interested in exploring the voices among this population that had yet to be heard, particularly the voices of those of Asian descent, by documenting the persistence of culture, race, and language in defining social relations even among self-proclaimed cosmopolitan youth.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part explores the experiences of transnational youth in international schools, highlighting the ways in which they are shaped by the ideologies of globalization and cosmopolitanism. The second part examines the ways in which these ideologies are reproduced in the social relations of the school, particularly in terms of race, culture, and class. The third part offers a critical analysis of the ways in which Western-style cosmopolitanism is institutionalized as cultural capital, and the ways in which it perpetuates global socio-cultural inequalities.

Throughout the book, Tanu employs a combination of ethnographic research, personal anecdotes, and theoretical insights to shed light on the complex issues surrounding transnationalism, multiculturalism, and migration. The author's approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on insights from anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of transnational youth.

One of the strengths of the book is its ability to engage readers on a personal level. Tanu's personal experiences as a transnational youth and her close relationships with the students she interviewed provide a relatable and empathetic perspective on the challenges faced by these young people. The book also offers valuable insights into the broader social and political implications of transnationalism and migration, particularly in the context of globalizing economies and increasingly interconnected world.

In conclusion, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in multiculturalism and migration, as well as for scholars studying migration in less privileged contexts. Danau Tanu's compelling study of the children of serial migrants offers a critical analysis of the ways in which Western-style cosmopolitanism is institutionalized as cultural capital, and the ways in which it perpetuates global socio-cultural inequalities. The book's interdisciplinary approach, combined with personal anecdotes and theoretical insights, provides a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of transnational youth and the broader social and political implications of transnationalism and migration.

Weight: 444g
Dimension: 151 x 227 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789207958