A conflict of lifestyles and battle of time : International students in sustainable development at Uppsala University

Sammanfattning: This investigation has sought to explore and understand how students who come to Sweden to study sustainable development perceive their future and what struggles they face. Underpinned by Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological theories the aim was thus to understand the role of education in sustainable development for international students; by looking at what kind of assets they possess, how struggles can be understood in relation to what assets they have, in what way geographical place might be significant and how changes of values and views of knowledge may affect their views of the future. The study has been restricted to Uppsala University and specifically The Centre for Environment and Development studies, (CEMUS.) CEMUS has been deliberately chosen since it offers many courses in sustainable development in English. As a method, an online survey and interviews have been conducted, with the aim of constructing a qualitative study. The data used in this study has been collected during a period of 3 months between February and April 2019. The scope of the study covers students who defined themselves as students within sustainable development who have or where taking courses at CEMUS at the time of the interviews.            The main result is that the students through the education in sustainable development experience new understandings of narratives, critical thinking and need for societal change. The clash between their earlier educational paths and the knowledge they have gained in sustainable development is disruptive to the extent of causing a cognitive dissonance resulting in a cleft habitus. It contributes to uncertainties about the future; both at the job-market as the undisciplinary and in life choices such as where and how to live. With one foot in current system and one foot on the edge of change towards an uncertain future. Most struggle enormously as their “in-between” position is not only due to meeting another culture, but a head on confrontation with earlier understandings of their reality and position in it. It is concluded that giving up privilege and convert what they have to the new frame of sufficiency, is hard. Nevertheless, the students who come from affluent backgrounds are those who adapt most easily to the education they meet at CEMUS, whereas those with less still have to face the fear of not having enough.