Between foreigners and family: social media representations of international students in Israeli universities

Abstract

The Middle East is a region in which internationalisation is commonly argued to be linked to individual countries’ economic and human capital development However, Israel, founded as the nation of the Jewish people and locked in intractable conflict with the Palestinians and many of its neighbours, has a particular set of historical, economic, political and social influences which affect the purposes and representations of international students. Drawing on an empirical study of the social media posts (Facebook pages) of two Israeli universities, I reveal portrayals of international students as members of the Jewish diaspora ‘family,’ and as cautious and in need of support. This chapter thus both connects with established portrayals of international students more broadly and in the region, and reveals alternative constructions of international students in the Middle East – particularly that of the diaspora ‘family.’