Navigating Contested Academic Spaces

As higher education (HE) becomes increasingly (re)shaped by geopolitical tensions, students enrolled in language programs associated with strategically contested nations may navigate the intersection of career aspirations, national identity, and public perceptions of loyalty. Drawing on Holland et al.’s theory of figured worlds and Tajfel and Turner’s social identity theory, this study explored the lived experiences of final-year students who study Chinese as they experience both high-valued career aspirations and a growing level of geopolitical backlash. Using two rounds of interviews with eight final-year students (sixteen interviews in total) and interpretative phenomenological analysis, the study seeks to understand how students develop their identities as they confront the rapidly changing ideologies in Vietnam and nationalistic sentiment directed toward China. The participants experienced what this study terms a “guilty high-earner paradox,” whereby attractive economic opportunities simultaneously generated feelings of moral discomfort and perceived political disloyalty. This reflected a tension between the moral dissonance of earning money from foreign investors, especially from a country usually seen as hostile, and the need to financially survive in a rapidly expanding foreign direct investment (FDI) economy. Many participants described an emerging identity as cultural brokers who mediated between competing economic, cultural, and geopolitical demands. This study provides insight into how universities can assist students enrolled in fields that may be contested to convert potential feelings of geopolitical anxiety into professional agency.