Wandering at the crossroads: gendered mobility aspirations in the study-to-work transition of Chinese graduates of Dutch universities

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the gendered mobility aspirations, decisions and experiences of fresh Chinese graduates of Dutch universities. Our analysis draws on semi-structured interviews and the “story completion” method with 25 Chinese graduates of Dutch universities, complemented with three interviews with the parents of such students in China. We use three vignettes to show the complexity of gendered mobility aspirations in the study-to-work transition, an interphase between student mobility and skilled migration that has been less studied. Our analysis reveals how gender intersects with other social factors (such as sexuality, age, and race) and processes at individual, interpersonal and institutional levels to shape these graduates’ mobilities, careers and life aspirations. Our findings also highlight how multiple gender identities and roles across different life stages have an impact on students’ post-graduation mobility trajectories.