Scholarly transitions: finding eden in the academic periphery

Abstract

How do international doctoral students in the "west" make the decision to return home when their studies are completed? Upon return, what types of re-adaptation problems do they face? Are they able to fully engage with the international academic community--or do they suffer from a form of Geertzian "exile-from-Eden" syndrome? In this study I explore these questions by looking at the cases of six Turkish scholars of Foreign Language Education and Applied Linguistics. In their own words, these scholars describe their experiences and call into question certain assumptions some western scholars may have about international students, the relative importance of geography when considering their transition and re-adaptation processes, and the appropriateness of phrases like "exile from Eden" to describe their academic socialization in their native country.