Indebted Mobilities: Indian Youth, Migration, and the Internationalizing University

Indebted Mobilities is an ethnographic rendering of overseas students' fraught encounters studying at an American public university. It explores the relationship between these students and debt, both material and moral, and how it shapes their experiences as student-migrants. The book highlights the complexities of their encounters, including their marginalization and the pressures they face to succeed in the global knowledge economy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 23 February 2024
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

As states have reduced funding to public universities, many of those institutions have turned to overseas students as a vital, alternative source of revenue. Students from India have especially been seen as among the most desirable populations, as they are typically fluent in English and overwhelmingly enroll in professional fields deemed critical to the knowledge economy. The large numbers of these youth migrating for their education tend to be viewed as a shining example of the value of the contemporary global university and how it enables ambitious people to secure opportunities not available to them in their home nation.

However, a deeper examination of these young people's encounters reveals a more complicated story than glossy brochures and paeans to American higher education would suggest. Indebted Mobilities draws on Susan Thomas's close shadowing of a group of middle-class Indian migrant men who attended a public university in New York just as the institution sought to "internationalize" its campus in the wake of ongoing withdrawal of state funding. Thomas takes the reader along with the young men as they study, work, and socialize, pursuing the successful futures they believed to be promised when they migrated for an American education. All the while, they must face their marginalization as they become enmeshed in the fraught inclusion politics of contemporary university life in the United States.

At the heart of these encounters is these students' relationship to debt—not just material ones that include student loans, but moral and affective debts as well. This indebtedness, which keeps them tied to both India and the United States, is meaningful.

The book begins by tracing the historical roots of the Indian student migration to the United States, highlighting the ways in which colonialism, globalization, and neoliberalism have shaped the educational landscape. It then delves into the experiences of the young men themselves, as they navigate the challenges of being foreign students in a foreign land.

One of the key themes of the book is the ways in which these students are caught in a web of debt, both material and moral. On the material level, they are often required to borrow large sums of money to finance their education, which can leave them with heavy financial burdens once they graduate. On the moral level, they are often expected to adhere to the norms and values of their host society, which can conflict with their own cultural and religious beliefs.

Another theme of the book is the ways in which these students are marginalized by their host society. They are often seen as a threat to the local workforce, as they are often skilled and educated and can compete for jobs with native-born Americans. They are also often subjected to discrimination and prejudice, both in the classroom and in their social lives.

Despite these challenges, the book also highlights the resilience and determination of these students. They are often driven by a desire to improve their lives and the lives of their families, and they are willing to work hard and sacrifice to achieve their goals. They also form strong networks of support, both within their own community and with other international students, which helps them to navigate the complexities of university life and to cope with the challenges of being foreign students.

In conclusion, Indebted Mobilities is a powerful and thought-provoking book that provides a nuanced and empathetic account of the experiences of overseas students in the United States. It sheds light on the complex web of debt, marginalization, and inclusion that these students navigate, and it highlights the resilience and determination of these students in the face of adversity. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the challenges and opportunities of international education in the contemporary world.

Weight: 282g
Dimension: 140 x 215 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226830704