The complexities of ‘sticky objects’ and ‘happy objects’ in multilingual universities: emotional (un)belonging from a posthumanist perspective

Abstract

As educational experiences in internationalised academic landscapes expand beyond classroom-based knowledge concerns, it is important to recognise that university spaces also embody affective, social, and cultural concerns. From a posthumanist perspective, this theoretical article critically explores communicative repertoires in multilingual universities beyond a sole focus on human subjects. Interactions between humans, and non-living artefacts and practices are explored in relation to emotional (un)belonging. Understanding stakeholders’ entangled emotions in multilingual universities is important for sustainable education, improved wellbeing, and belonging. This is especially the case in today’s era where there is an increased recognition of the legacy of the colonial-neoliberal nexus in terms of language, culture, and epistemologies across multiple domains. This paper analyses emotions from a poststructuralist approach and the related concepts of ‘sticky objects’ and ‘happy objects’ with the aim of disrupting anthropocentric views of language. This paper looks at complexities within emotional belonging and critiques the seldom explored complexities and ‘dark side’ to sticky objects and happy objects with reference to previous research. Suggestions for further research directions are provided.

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