Browsing by Author "Laukkanen, Heini"

The conversation on the exhaustion and stress of higher education students is a common discussion. There is more emphasis on the individual's own responsibility, the pace of studying has become faster, and it is harder to use a degree to stand out in the job market. In this thesis, I examine the views University students have on their studies, and the wider social conditions these views indicate. The current ethos in our society highlights the responsibility of an individual. In this thesis, I describe this using a framework of neoliberalism and the Ethos of Vulnerability. The Ethos of Vulnerability considers possible structural problems to be caused by individuals' deficiencies. According to previous studies, the impact of the ethos has now reached the field of education. For this thesis, I have interviewed Finnish University students who are studying towards Bachelor's or Master's degrees in Educational Sciences. The interviews were conducted as two group interviews with 2 to 3 participants each. To analyse the empirical material and the impact of the ethos, I have applied discursive and discursive-deconstructive approaches. Based on my analysis, a degree did not guarantee a career or standing out from the crowd. Instead, students' additional actions and other factors were found to be more meaningful. It was highlighted that a degree prepares students for employability. Among students, it was rare to have holidays, and students felt that they were required to be constantly doing something. The responsibility for managing in and being enough for the job market fell on students' own shoulders. If students wanted to proceed in their studies to meet the desired goals, the quality of learning suffered. Most studies were performance-oriented, and health was considered secondary. Working alongside studying was hard timewise, but mandatory for some. Students needed to be proactive to progress in their studies. If the progress was not as desired, it was considered to be a fault in the individual's personal features. The Ethos of Vulnerability was visible in the data, but its effect on students' agency was not simple or straightforward. The students were also aware of the conditions that they were in, and some showed resistance, demanding structural change.