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REVISING THE RHETORIC: AN INSTITUTIONAL CRITIQUE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION AND THE RHETORICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IDENTITY

Mohon-Doyle, Keely i Mobley
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1500305599966207

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, English.
As American colleges and universities continue to enroll increasing numbers of international students, blatant acts of neo-racism aimed at these students have become more prevalent. Institutions must consider how their representations of international students rhetorically create the “international student” identity and how they can revise their rhetoric to purposefully combat neo-racism and promote inclusivity. In Revising the Rhetoric, I outline a layered methodological approach that utilizes a theoretical framework of critical race theory, whiteness studies, and postcolonial studies; a methodology of institutional critique; and the methods of postmodern mapping and actor network theory. This approach highlights issues of race and culture and emphasizes the importance of specific institutional contexts. For this reason, my project seeks to describe and analyze the rhetoric created by the objects, texts, spaces, and people that make up the network of the Office of International Student Affairs’ International Student Orientation. As the first face-to-face interaction between international students and members of The University, the international student identity that it creates has a strong impact on how welcome international students feel at the institution. I trace the rhetoric of the orientation through observations of the orientation events, interviews with stakeholders, and archival documents. I show how this rhetoric has changed over time as it has been affected by outside forces, including politics, government regulations, state funding, and institutional demands. While the rhetoric has changed, there is an underlying practicality that has defined the orientation since its inception and contributes to problematic representations. I offer a heuristic tailored to the specific context of the orientation that makes the rhetoric of practicality visible and can help guide OISA’s future rhetorical revisions. Although my project focuses on a single event on one university campus, the approach I outline and the heuristic I provide can be tailored to address other offices and other campuses. In the current political climate of travel bans and cultural distrust, this work is particularly necessary.
Michele Simmons (Committee Chair)
Jason Palmeri (Committee Member)
LuMing Mao (Committee Member)
Linh Dich (Committee Member)
C. Lee Harrington (Committee Member)
216 p.
Higher Education; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Rhetoric; School Administration
international students, institutional critique, orientation, identity, racism, neo-racism, heuristic, actor-network theory, critical history

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mohon-Doyle, K. I. M. (2017). REVISING THE RHETORIC: AN INSTITUTIONAL CRITIQUE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION AND THE RHETORICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IDENTITY [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1500305599966207

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mohon-Doyle, Keely. REVISING THE RHETORIC: AN INSTITUTIONAL CRITIQUE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION AND THE RHETORICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IDENTITY. 2017. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1500305599966207.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mohon-Doyle, Keely. "REVISING THE RHETORIC: AN INSTITUTIONAL CRITIQUE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION AND THE RHETORICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IDENTITY." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1500305599966207

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.