3: Precarity and Insecurity in Practice: Evidence from Mainland China

Chapter 2 explored the literature about the IST that has emerged since the Bunnell (2016) paper identifying the ‘global educational precariat’. Overall, we can see that the IST remains neglected in spite of the continuous growth and dominance of British and North American educators, and significant gaps in our knowledge still exist. What does emerge from the literature over time, is a continuous picture of international schools as deeply problematic bases for the overseas educator. They are seen as ‘tense and messy’ workplaces (Bunnell, 2019c), and potential arenas of precarity, insecurity and anxiety (Poole, 2019c). At the centre of this condition is the intense levels of micro-politics, and the short-termism (highturnover) of the arena. Coupled with this has been the shift towards a ‘post-ideal era/epoch’ characterised by an undermining and questioning of norms, values, and purpose.