02/05/2025
By Emma Peterson
Candidate: Emma Peterson
Degree: Ph.D. in Global Studies
Defense Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Time: 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Manning Health and Social Sciences building, Room 342
Dissertation Title: “Internationalization of Higher Education in an Evolving Political Landscape: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective"
Dissertation Committee:
Dissertation Chair: A.J. Angulo, Ed.D., Professor of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Angélica Durán-Martínez, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science, Director of Global Studies Ph.D. program, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Jenifer Whitten-Woodring, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science, Dean of the Honors College, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Abstract:
This dissertation consists of three articles focused on the political challenges facing the internationalization of higher education (IHE) in the United States in the contemporary political context. For this, the project examines the experiences of three primary stakeholders—international students, international scholars, and international programming administrators—at public universities in the Northeastern U.S. Using qualitative methods, including nineteen interviews and two focus groups, the study employs a phenomenological cosmopolitan framework to understand how these groups navigate the political climate impacting IHE. Collectively, this three-paper dissertation responds to the need for empirical literature on the impact of the current political climate on IHE by analyzing the experiences of stakeholders involved in internationalization. Additionally, these studies highlight the significant role of identity in stakeholder experience and the influence of external actors on internationalization efforts, expanding our knowledge on the interconnectedness of higher education with broader political forces.