TableofContents
Abstract 2
Acknowledgements 3
Ch.1:“Yes,IcandragUNC.”(Introduction) 4 Ch.2:“TheReadingsandStuff”(LiteratureReview) 12 Ch.3:“Doesthisreallyhavetobe,like,amap?”(Methods) 19 Ch.4:“Lenoirhidesthebagelsafterawhile.”(Findings) 24 Ch.5:“They’vealreadydecidedwhoseopinionsthey’regoingtolisten to.”(Analysisof
exploitation,subversion,andthestrugglefornarrativecontrol) 38 Ch.6:“Youshouldsendmeyourthesiswhenyou’redone.Itisa thesis,right?”(Reflectionson
academiaandintimacy) 56
Ch.7:“Whatchangewouldyouwanttosee?”(Conclusion) 61
Appendix 65
Abstract
Inthispaper,Iusefriendshipandsocialnetworks asalensto discusstheeffectsof neoliberalizationoftheuniversityonUNC undergraduates.Iconductedinterviews,participatory mapping,andanewvisualresearchmethodIcall“friendmapping”tolearnaboutfiveUNC students’experienceswithfriendship,classwork,conflictingnarratives,andtheincreasing neoliberalizationoftheiruniversity.Throughthisresearch,I findthatitishelpfultoimagine undergraduatesnotonlyasconsumersofeducation,but alsoasworkersandproductsattheir universities.Understandingtheirpositioninthisway,wecantalkabout thewaysuniversity studentsareexploitedandthestrategiestheyemploy tosurvivetheextractiveprocessesoftheir schools.WealsoseethatUniversitiesseektoincorporatethesestrategies intoasanitized
Acknowledgements
Ch.1:“Yes,IcandragUNC.”(Introduction)
IfyouopenthebookletthattheUNC admissionsofficegivestoprospectivestudents,you willfindatwo-pagespreaddepictingSouth Building,theschool’s administrativeoffice.The spreadalsoincludesaparagraphaboutthe university’sfirststudent, andsomeinspirational writingabouthowfaryoucangoafter attendingUNC.SouthBuilding,withitstowering columnsandsweepingstaircase,cutsanimpressivefigure. Theimageandtextpaintaclear pictureofwhatstudentscanexpectonenrollingattheuniversity:theyarejoiningalineage, stretchingallthewaybacktoHintonJames,ofacademicexcellence andschoolpride. EverythingaboutthepictureofSouthBuilding,fromthearchitectureto the“UNC”banners hangingfromitspedimenttotheCarolinaBlueskybehindit,makestheobserver feellikethisis whatcollegeissupposedtobe.
WelcometoUNC.ThoughstudentsrarelyhavereasontogoinsideofSouthBuilding,itdominatesoneofthemain quadsoncampus.
IwonderedwhetherotherstudentsfeltthesamewayIdidaboutthisuniversity.WasI aloneinnotfeelingthelove,oristhestoryUNCtellsitsprospectivestudentsreallyasfalseasit felttome?Idecidedtotakethequestionto mypeers.Inthisresearchpaper,Idiscussvarious students’experiencesatUNCandaskhowtheymeasure uptothestory theuniversitytellsabout itself.Andiftherewassuchadiscrepancy,diditbotherotherstudentsas muchasitbothered me?
thesakeofacademicsuccess.Fromstayingupallnighttoworkonprojects, torefusingtomiss lecturesoveranillness,collegestudentstendto prioritizeacademicsoverotherareasoftheir lives,eventhosearguablymoreimportantthanschool. Iwantedtoknowhowstudentsnavigate betweentheseeminglyopposingpressurestosacrificefor thesakeoftheiracademics,andto havethefun,socialexperiencethat collegeisadvertisedtobe.
Because“thestudentexperience”ishugeandimpossible totrulyrepresent,Istartedoutwith threeguidingquestionsto drivemyresearch
❖ WhatdoesUNCleave outofthestory ittellsaboutitselfanditsstudents?
❖ Whereandhowdostudentsmakemeaningfulconnectionsinacompetitiveuniversity?
❖ Whatrolesdofriends&friendshipplayinstudents’lives?
Italkedtofivestudentsabouttheirthoughtsandfeelingstowards theirfriends,and towardsUNCingeneral.Eveninrelativelyshortdiscussions,myparticipants talkedaboutso manydeepandcomplicatedfeelingsthatit’simpossibletodescribealloftheminthispaper. Eachstudenttoldnotonebutmanystoriesaboutbeingincollegeandbeing atUNC.It’sobvious thatUNCcan’ttellallofthesestoriesinitsadmissionsbrochure.Butthe universityhasareason fortellingthestoryitdoes.Inthispaper, I’vetriedmybest toauthenticallyrepresentmy
participants’viewsandemotionsonthevarioussubjectswediscussed,but I’mtellinga particularstoryaswell.ItriedspecificallytoputtogetheranarrativethatUNCdoesnot
extractiveprocessestheyundergoatschool.Friendshipandtheprocessesof caringforone anotherprovedtobeimportantstrategiesforstudentsinthesepositions. Universitiesseekto incorporatethesestrategiesintoasanitizednarrativewhichwillattractnew studentseachyear, butstudentsalsohavetheirownstoriestotell. Bylisteningtoone another’saccountsoftheir ownlives,studentscancometounderstandtheir connectiontootherworkersaroundtheworld, andbuildsolidaritywiththem.
ThefivestudentsItalkedtoallhaveuniquepersonalstoriesaswell.It’sworthwhileto introducethembeforegoingintodetailabouttheiranalysesofthe universitytheyattend.
Ameliahadjustcompletedherjunioryearwhen Iinterviewedher.Sheisapsychology majorfromWilmington,NorthCarolina.Atthetimeofherinterview,shehadonlylivedon campusasaUNCstudent,thoughshewasplanning tomoveoffcampus forhersenioryear. Ameliadescribesherselfasamemberofseveraldifferentsocialcircles, mainlystemmingfrom variousJapanesecultureandlanguageclassesthatshetookinherfirstyear.She isalsoonthe equestrianteamatUNC,thoughshedoesn’tusually spendtimewiththeteamoutsideof practice.AmeliaseemstofeelfairlyambivalenttowardsUNCasan institution.Inparticular, she’sfrustratedwithwhatsheperceivesasalackofprogressive valuesfromUNC’s
administration.Ingeneral,Ameliasaysthatshewillprioritizespendingtime withherfriends overacademicactivitiesandhomework,asshe feelsit’sbetter forherhealth.
heisamemberofaChristianorganizationoncampus.Briandescribesakind ofcultureshockin transitioningtoUNCfromhishighschool,whichhadagraduatingclassofonlyfortypeople. He’sfoundthathissocialcircleatUNCismuch wider,butthathefeelsmoredistantfromthe peopleheknowsthanheoncedid.Hedescribesalarge,loosenetworkoffriends,mostly individualsorsmallgroupsthathemetinvariousclasses.Mostofhisinteractionswithfriends involvesimplypassingthemonthewaytoclass,buthedoesmakeanefforttoseesomeofthem overmealsorstudying.BrianlikestheatmosphereofUNC,whichhedescribesashavinga strongsenseofschoolspirit.Hebelievesthatasawhole,thestudentpopulation herehasstrucka goodbalancebetweenbeinganacademicallyprestigiousuniversityandnotbeingcompletely consumedbyacademics.Whenaskedifhe’sfoundthat samebalanceinhis personallife,hesays thatwhilehespendsalotofhistimeonacademicwork,hedoesn’t letacademicsdefinehis senseofself-worth.
andfeelslikeshe’sabletodothatalotatUNC,justbynatureofhaving towalktoclass.Frances distinguishesbetweenherfeelingstowardscollegein general,andtowards UNCinparticular. Whilesheenjoysthefreedomofferedbybeingincollege,shefeelsthatUNC asaninstitutionis neglectfulandputsunduepressureonitsstudents, aswellas“kindofhalf-assingits
sustainabilityefforts.”
Sophia,likeAmelia,hadjustfinishedherjunioryearwhenthe interviewsweretaking place.ShecomesfromRaleigh,NorthCarolina,and isdoublemajoringinglobalstudiesand sociology.She’salsocompletingaminorinsocialandeconomicjustice. Sophiadoesn’thave onecentralizedgroupoffriends;rather,shespendstime withalotof individualsorsmallgroups. Sheprefersthistobeinginonelargegroup,like shewasinhighschool,becauseitallowsher morecontroloverwhomshespendstimewith.Thoughheronly extracurricularinvolvementis withaMuslimstudentgroup,shespendsalotoftime atspeakerevents.Infact, shetriestogoto onespeakereventeachweek.Shefeelsthatthisisthebestwaytotakeadvantageofhertimeat UNC.Sophiametsomeofherfriendsthroughattendingspeakerevents -specificallythrough Islamophobicorright-wingspeakersthatsheandherfriendsdisagreedwith. She’salsomade friendsthroughclasses,housing,andthelocalMuslim community.Sophiausedtospendmostof hertimewithherfriends,butnowthatshe’sin higher-levelclasses,shehastospendalotmore timeonhomework.However,shestilltriestoscheduleherdayssothatshe canspendatleast sometimesocializing.OverallshefeelshappyatUNC.Shefeelsthatthestudentbodyis
Tiana,myfinalparticipant,isalsoarisingsenior.Shecomes fromCharlotte,North Carolina,andisajournalismmajor.Thereareseveralgroupsofpeopleshespendstimewith; however,thegroupsheshareswithAmeliacould beconsideredherprimaryfriendgroup.Tiana metherfriendsinafirst-yearseminaraboutJapanese religion,andsaysshe madefriendswitha numberofthoseclassmatesbecausetheywouldall eatdinnertogetherafterclasswasover. GroupchatsoverFacebookorGroupmeareabigpartofhowTianaorganizes hersociallife.She didn’tmentionanyclubmembershipinherinterview,but sheisemployedby adivisionofthe university.Tianafeelsadisconnectbetweenherday-to-day feelingsasaUNCstudent,andhow itfeelstotalkaboutUNCtoherfamilyor otherpeopleoutsidetheuniversity.Whenshetriesto thinkaboutUNC“fromotherpeople’sstandpoints,”she’sproudtobeapartofaprestigious university.Butfromdaytoday,shedoesn’ttendtothinkmuchaboutbeing aUNCstudent-it’s justwhereshehappenstoberightnow.Tiana spendsmostofher timeworkingonacademics, andfindsshedoesn’tusuallyhavetimetodothingsshewouldliketo do.She’sinterestedin doingfreelancewebdevelopmentwork,ordoing moreoff-campusactivities withherfriends, butthere’snotenoughtimetodothatafter sheandherfriends allcompletetheirschoolwork.
peopleItalkedtohadincredibleandrichstories totell,thisproject wouldhavebenefittedfrom simpleexposuretomoreofthosestories.Finally, myfocusonstudentsisfairlyexclusive. Professors,administrators,andstaffallcomeupbrieflyintermsoftheireffectonstudents,but theirownsubjectiveexperiencesandrelationshipwiththeuniversitythatall ofthesegroups inhabitisnotafactorinthispaper.It’s myhopethatfuture researchcanaddresssimilar questionstomyownwhiletalkingto otheruniversity-affiliatedpeople. Unfortunatelythatwas simplynotfeasibleinthisproject.
Ch.2:“TheReadingsandStuff”(LiteratureReview)
Thisprojectfocusesonfriendshipandemotionalexperiencesamongundergraduate collegestudents.WhileIwasunabletofindotherliteratureaddressing thatsubjectspecifically, myresearchdrawsonconceptsputforwardby anumberofgeographersandotheracademics.
BushinandWhite(2010)aretheauthorsof“Migrationpoliticsin Ireland:exploringthe impactsonyoungpeople'sgeographies.”Theirstudyfocusedonchildrenand teenswhohad migratedtoIreland.Theco-authorsspenttimeat anafter-schoolprogramformigrantkids,and talkedwithmembersabouthowtheyspentholidaysandwhattheireverydaylifewaslike,as wellasobservingdrawingsandphotosthattheparticipantsusedtodescribetheirlives.Boththis paperandmythesisseektoexplorethewaysneoliberalcapitalismplaysoutintheeveryday livesofyoungpeople.Thoughtheparticipantsinthisstudywerebothyoungerandundervastly differentcircumstancesthanmyparticipants,allofthemfoundthemselvesin asituationlargely controlledbycapitalistandstateforces,notthemselves. ThekidsthatBushinandWhitetalked tonavigatedglobalinstitutionsandbordersinuniqueandpersonalways, especiallyintheir relationshipwiththeirhomecountries.Interestingly,thisisone oftheonlystudies Iwasableto findwherefriendshipcameintothebalance.Thestudyparticipants’experience ofmigrationwas impactedbyhowmuchtheywereabletotalkto theirfriendsbackhome,ormakenewfriendsin Ireland.Likethesekids,myparticipantsfoundthemselves livingawayfromtheplacewherethey grewup,inanewanddifferentsocialenvironment, learningtheropesas theywentalong.This isn’ttosaythatgoingtocollegeisthe sameasinternationalmigration, butthepointsof
morethantheywouldfrominterviewsalone.Iwantedto makesurethatmy researchalsouseda varietyofmethodsinordertogetthefullestperspectivepossible onmyparticipants’
experiences.
Dowling’s2008paper“Geographiesofidentity: labouringinthe‘neoliberal’university discussesthewaysacademicgeographersareimpactedbytheincreasingneoliberalizationof universities.Inmanywaysthisprojecthassimilaraimstomyown,thoughitfocuseson
researchersandprofessorsratherthanonundergraduates.Dowlingexplainsthefrustrationsthat herparticipantsexperiencedintheirwork,astheiruniversitiesincreasinglydemanded“quantity overquality.”Geographersalsodiscussedthepoliticalside oftheirworkandtheirrelationshipto activism,somethingoftenfrownedonbytheiruniversities,whichsoughtmore“objective” research.Dowlingexplainsthatgeographersworkingascollaboratorsfelttheywerebreaking downtheconstrainingstructuresoftheiruniversities.Ihavecometo similarconclusionswith myownparticipants.Collaborationisnotthesamethingasfriendship,butoneofteninvolvesthe other,especiallyinthecaseofDowling’sparticipants,whowereactively seekingtoundermine theisolatingcultureoftheirwork.Thispaperconvincesmethat peopleinvolvedwith
universitiesatanumberoflevelsareexperiencing similarformsofexploitation.Thereisa chancehereforsolidaritybetweenacademicsandtheirstudents.Thiskind ofsolidaritybetween peopleinuniversitiesisamajorareaofinterestinthisproject.
Gieseking’s2013paper“WhereWeGofrom Here:TheMental SketchMappingMethod andItsAnalyticComponents?”wasintegralindevelopingmyresearch methods.Herdiscussion ofparticipatorymappingmethodinacollegecontextwasimmenselyhelpful whenIwas
