In this section of Campus, EuropeNow features a selection of scholarly articles and books on topics pertinent to the teaching of Europe or teaching in Europe that were published within the last 5 years. This dynamic bibliography, with monthly installments, seeks to highlight both pedagogy research as well as critical analyses of debates taking place in higher education in and about Europe.
If you are interested in reviewing any of the books featured in any of our Campus Round-Ups, please contact our Research and Pedagogy Chair, Hélène Ducros, at helene@alumni.unc.edu
1. Roma in Higher Education
By Margareta Matache, Tanja Jovanovic, Simona Barbu, and Jacqueline Bhabha
Abstract (for the book): Policy makers, advocates and scholars have long concentrated on the importance of equal access to primary and secondary education as a foundation for a democratic and just society. Despite the growing importance of higher and specialist education in an increasingly technological and skill-focused global market, tertiary education has attracted much less attention. And yet, universities and colleges are epicentres of egregious disparities in access, which impinge on traditionally marginalized communities, such as racial minorities, migrants, indigenous populations, and people with disabilities. By drawing attention to this issue and assembling first-rate material from scholars and policy makers across the globe, this book performs an invaluable service for those interested in understanding and fighting a highly significant violation of educational opportunity and social justice.
2. Student Geographies and Homemaking: Personal Belonging(s) and Identities
By Mark Holton and Mark Riley
Abstract: Studies of the “geographies of students” have become increasingly prevalent across the social sciences and are particularly concerned with the predilection for young UK University undergraduates to be mobile in their institutional choice. A more recent focus within this work has been upon student identities, with attention given to how the spaces to which students move and in which they settle can have both positive and negative consequences for the evolution of the student identity, and how such identities are often framed within the context of social activities; learning environments; friendship networks; or other sociocultural factors. This paper contributes to these discussions by considering the role of student accommodation – a site which often remains on the periphery of discussions of student identities – in offering students opportunities to construct, adapt and manage their student identities. This adds to the important contemporary geographies of student accommodation, which are currently debating, among others, purpose-built student accommodation and the broad housing “careers” and strategies of students. In contrast, this paper explores the micro-geographies of student accommodation (and more specifically, the bedroom) to highlight its value in providing young, mobile students with an anchor within which they can draw together their learner, social and domestic dispositions into one geographical location.
Find this article in Social & Cultural Geography here.
3. Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Outbreak and Lockdown among Students and Workers of a Spanish University
By Paula Odriozola-González, Álvaro Planchuelo-Gómez, María Jesús Irurtia, and Rodrigo de Luis-García
Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the psychological impact of COVID-19 in the university community during the first weeks of confinement. A cross-sectional study was conducted. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was employed to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. The emotional impact of the situation was analyzed using the Impact of Event Scale. An online survey was fulfilled by 2530 members of the University of Valladolid, in Spain. Moderate to extremely severe scores of anxiety, depression, and stress were reported by 21.34%, 34.19% and 28.14% of the respondents, respectively. A total of 50.43% of respondents presented moderate to severe impact of the outbreak. Students from Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences & Law showed higher scores related to anxiety, depression, stress and impact of event with respect to students from Engineering & Architecture. University staff presented lower scores in all measures compared to students, who seem to have suffered an important psychological impact during the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown. In order to provide timely crisis-oriented psychological services and to take preventive measures in future pandemic situations, mental health in university students should be carefully monitored.
Find this article in Psychiatry Research here.
4. The Effect of Education Policies on Higher-Education Attainment of Immigrants in Western Europe: A Cross-Classified Multilevel Analysis
By Elyakim Kislev
Abstract: The number of immigrant students in Western Europe is growing steadily, but their social integration and educational achievements are still lagging behind. Nevertheless, there is still very little empirical evidence on which policies can effectively promote them. Thus, this article tests 2 main types of policies: targeted support and intercultural policies, and compares their effect on university graduation of 6 immigrant groups in 13 Western European countries. This research incorporates country- and origin-based variables as well as social and individual characteristics in cross-classified multilevel analyses. Data from the European Social Survey, the Migrant Integration Policy Index, the United Nations (UN) database and the World Bank database are integrated here. Findings show that intercultural policies have more positive effect on immigrant students than targeted policies. Furthermore, there is division between these six groups not only in their actual educational achievements, but also in the extent to which they are helped by education policies.
Find this article in the Journal of European Social Policy here.
5. New Challenges in Higher Education Policies in Sweden
By Camilla Thunborg and Agnieszka Bron
Abstract: During 2014 and 2015, 240,000 migrants sought asylum in Sweden, and the integration of the newcomers into the labour market and society has become a heated debate since then. Higher education has become one of the means for integrating migrants with higher levels of formal education, which is a new challenge. Higher education policies in Sweden are, however, also challenged by balancing between equality and employability. We claim that these challenges are not new, but part of Swedish education policy since the 1960’s. The challenge of balancing between equality and employability also affects the way that the challenge of an ageing population is handled in educational policy. Here, there have been contradicting reforms between getting students enter higher education as early as possible as a way to benefit the national economy, and enhancing lifelong learning with special regard to mature students. In this chapter, we will discuss the challenges for higher education policies further.
Photo: Seamless pattern with diverse people, adults and children, reading newspapers about the coronavirus pandemic, wearing face masks
Published on December 8, 2020.
