Immigration Policies, International Student Security, and Geopolitical Issues

Editors:

  • Helen Forbes-Mewett, Monash University, Australia
  • Krishna Bista, Morgan State University, USA
  • Tina Renier, UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab

Call for Abstracts: Critical Perspectives on Immigration Policies, International Student Security, and Geopolitical Issues Impacting International Education

The Journal of International Students invites interdisciplinary submissions for a special issue exploring the intersections of immigration policy, international student security,  international education, and geopolitical issues. This issue aims to foreground critical perspectives that amplify the voices of women, racialized, and marginalized communities, aligning with our mission to advance equity and justice in international education.

In an era marked by shifting immigration policies, increasing geopolitical tensions, and the rapid deployment of emergent technologies, this special issue will critically assess the systemic, structural, and ideological forces shaping the international education landscape. We welcome theoretical, empirical, and practice-informed contributions that engage with the following focus areas:

Focus Areas:

  1. Immigration Policy Shifts and Implications for International Students:
    • Recent announcements and policy shifts in countries like Canada (e.g., the two-year cap on the recruitment of international students), the USA (implications of the 2025 Trump immigration policies), and the UK (rising xenophobic  nationalism and alt-right protests)
    • These restrictive immigration policies challenge international student mobility from the Global South, particularly from least developed and emerging market economies.
    • A critical assessment of how immigration policies intersect with issues of development, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as the broader context of championing  reparative justice for marginalized communities
  2. Policing, Surveillance, and the Role of AI in Migration Governance:
    • The role of informal institutions (imperial, anti-black, neo-colonial, and capitalist ideologies, values, and norms) in shaping immigration policies that police international students and other temporary migrant
    • Critical examinations of how artificial intelligence reinforces borders through algorithms in migration governance, labor market transitions, and international education
  3. Knowledge Production and Data Colonialism:
    • Critical examination of how the Fourth Industrial Revolution has further facilitated neo-colonial practices in knowledge production.
    • How universities in the Global North continue to extract and appropriate knowledge systems from the Global South, undermining reciprocity in scholar-practitioner relationships
    • Contributions from the Global South that challenge these asymmetrical relationships and propose justice-oriented approaches to research collaboration 
  4. Education for Sustainable Development:
    • Focus on the nexus between education and sustainable development in vulnerable regions, particularly in small island developing states in the Caribbean
    • Analyses of systemic challenges—natural disasters, inequality, and underfunding—that undermine sustainable development in the Global South
  5. Future Directions for International Education and Sustainable Development:
    • Scholarship that explores justice-oriented paradigms and alternative models in international education
    • China's growing role in soft power diplomacy in regions such as Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. 
    • Studies that demonstrate how community-based participatory action research, social movements, and advocacy have contributed to meaningful policy changes and solutions to contemporary global challenges

Timeline for Authors

  • Submission of Abstracts (120 words): June 1, 2025
  • Full Paper Submission Deadline: August 15, 2025
  • Peer Review Feedback: September 15, 2025
  • Final Acceptance Notification: October 15, 2025

Abstract Submission Portal 

About the Journal of International Students:

The Journal of International Students is a leading academic publication on international students' experiences and challenges. The journal provides a platform for scholars and practitioners to share research, insights, and best practices that contribute to the success and well-being of international students in higher education. The journal aims to foster a deeper understanding of the global student experience through its diverse and inclusive content.

Suggested Questions:

  • What are the anticipated impacts of Donald Trump’s second presidency on policies and support frameworks for international students and scholars within U.S. universities over the next four years?
  • How does the evolving public opinion in the UK regarding international students influence university policies and institutional responses, particularly concerning immigration categorization?
  • What are international students' primary challenges and risks in host countries, and how can higher education policies be adapted to better address safety, financial stability, and social inclusion?
  • What effects will the recent downsizing within Australia’s higher education sector have on the academic and professional experiences of international students and scholars in light of the Universities Accord’s mandate for sectoral growth?
  • How is the surge in early applications from Chinese students shaping admissions policies and support services at UK universities, particularly in response to declining domestic enrollment?
  • How are universities in Asia contributing to youth unemployment challenges for international students and scholars, considering the rapid growth in higher education institutions and limited job opportunities in the region?
  • How do the geo-political tensions impact the security, well-being, and overall satisfaction of international students in English-speaking countries?
  • How have U.S. visa policies and monitoring programs for international students evolved, particularly about shifting national security concerns? how have these perceptions varied across different political administrations?

References

Allen, R. M., & Bista, K. (2022). Talented yet viewed with suspicion: Surveillance of international students and scholars in the United States. Journal of International Students, 12 (1), pp. 175-195.

Hoppers, O. C. (2002). Poverty, power and educational partnerships in development: A post-victimology perspective. Compare, 23 (1), pp. 21-38. 

Lynch, R. et. al. (2023). The tears don't give you funding: Data neocolonialism in development in the Global South. Third World Quarterly, 44 (3), pp. 911-929. 

Maynard, R. (2017). Policing Black lives: State violence in Canada from slavery to the present. Fernwood Publishing.

Marginson, S., Nyland, C., Sawir, E., & Forbes-Mewett, H. (2010). International student security. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511751011

Maynard, R. (2023). Rehearsals for living. Knopf Canada.

Noble, S. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. New York State University.

Thobani, S. (2022). Coloniality and racial (in)justice in the university: Counting for nothing? University of Toronto Press.

United Nations. (2024). Sustainable development Rrport 2024. United Nations Publishing.

Manuscript Types

Research Articles (English)

Research Articles (4,500-7,500 words) submissions use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods research to make a new and demonstratively significant advancement in under-researched aspects of the field related to topics outlined in the journal's Aims & Scope.

Research in Briefs (English)

The "Research in Brief" section of the Journal of International Students is designed to concisely analyze specific topics or questions using new or existing data sources. Articles should include a brief introduction, a discussion of the data, up to two figures/tables, a maximum of 10 references, and be within 2,000 words. Titles should be under 10 words, an abstract of 120 words or less is required, and manuscripts must undergo standard peer review.

For inquiries about this Special Issue, get in touch with the Project Editors: Helen Forbes-Mewett at helen.forbesmewett@monash.edu or Tina Renier, UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab reniertina9518@gmail.com 

Resources for Authors/Editors: