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Fragile Cosmopolitanism: Failing of the Engineered Life

Fragile Cosmopolitanism: Failing of the Engineered Life

Common Concerns vor 6 Monaten

Failing of the Engineered Life

0:00

51:28

In this episode, Xiang Biao and Siqi Tu discuss the Common
Concerns approach in the context of a research project on Chinese
students who send their children to the US for private high
school education. Siqi presents her findings on the complex and
often contradictory experiences of these students, who are caught
between their desire for a global education and the harsh
realities of being a minority in the US. Siqi notes that many of
the students she spoke to expressed a sense of fragility and
uncertainty about their choices, and that they often struggled to
reconcile their idealized visions of a global education with the
actual experiences of racism and exclusion they faced. The
conversation also touches on the concept of "fragile
cosmopolitanism," which Siqi uses to describe the complex and
often contradictory experiences of these students. Siqi notes
that while the students may idealize a global education, they
often struggle to achieve it in practice, and that their
experiences are shaped by a range of factors, including their
social class, family background, and personal aspirations. The
conversation also explores the ideas of "micro-political economy"
and “engineering life,” which concern how individuals and
families allocate their resources and attention to achieve their
goals. Siqi notes that the parents she spoke to were often trying
to engineer their children's lives to secure their future
success, but that this approach often led to feelings of anxiety
and stress, and that they often felt pressure to provide their
children with the best possible education to secure their future
success. Throughout the conversation, Siqi and Biao engage in a
nuanced and thoughtful discussion about the complexities and
challenges of the Common Concerns approach, and about how
research can be used to co-create concepts and perspectives that
help individuals and families reflect on their experiences and
challenges.