This study investigates the shifting dynamics of International Student Mobility (ISM) in a turbulent global era characterised by the dual shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating geopolitical tensions. While ISM has historically been viewed as an upward trajectory of global integration, this research focuses on a critical counter-trend: the transition from mobility to immobility. Specifically, it examines the "broken desire" of students from top Chinese research universities who have abandoned their plans to study abroad. As China remains the largest exporter of international students, understanding this shift is vital for the global higher education community, particularly for European and international institutions navigating the uncertainties of post-pandemic recruitment and academic exchange. The primary research question guiding this study asks how the changing global landscape—marked by geopolitical rivalries, securitisation of higher education, and public health crises—has shaken and reshaped the desire for mobility among prospective international students. The objective is to move beyond the simplistic binary of "going vs. staying" to unpack the complex decision-making processes, demonstrating how the "global imaginings" of international education (Collins, 2013) are being deconstructed and how students recalibrate their strategies when the global higher education field becomes increasingly fragmented by political interference and rising anti-Asian sentiment (Mok et al., 2024).

To analyse the nuanced and dynamic process of mobility desire, this paper employs a robust, multi-scalar theoretical framework grounded in the sociology of desire and Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field. We conceptualise "desire" not merely as a personal wish but as a strategic, temporal process of capital assembly. This lens allows us to interpret the abandonment of study abroad not as a passive failure, but as an active, "calculative" adaptation where students’ dispositions (habitus) restructure themselves in response to a changing global higher education landscape (field) increasingly shaped by geopolitical power struggles (Bourdieu, 1986). Furthermore, we unpack mobility desire across three spatial scales: the macro-level of geopolitical tensions and the erosion of "Western supremacy" myths; the meso-level of mobility infrastructures and institutional networks which are increasingly constrained by geopolitical pressures (Marginson, 2025); and the micro-level shift towards a "calculative self," where the symbolic value of an overseas degree is weighed strictly against economic returns and safety concerns. By grounding the analysis in this comprehensive framework, the study offers a critical international dimension, arguing that the phenomenon of "immobility" reflects a broader crisis in the neoliberal model of global higher education where ISM has transformed into a more security-oriented mechanism (Robertson, 2022). The findings provide essential insights for international stakeholders to understand how geopolitical friction is dismantling traditional mobility bridges and necessitating new models of global academic engagement.

This study employs a qualitative research design to provide an in-depth understanding of the shifting dynamics of student mobility and the lived experiences of "immobility." The research draws upon empirical data collected from 31 students enrolled in top research universities in China. The participant selection utilised a purposive sampling strategy, specifically targeting a unique cohort: students who had previously possessed a strong desire and concrete plans to pursue overseas education but ultimately decided to abandon these trajectories due to the impact of the pandemic and escalating global geopolitical tensions. This specific inclusion criterion is critical to the study's objective, as it allows for a direct examination of "broken desire" and the active recalibration of life strategies in response to external crises. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which served as the primary research instrument. This method was chosen to capture the "intricate experiences and perceptions" of the participants, allowing them to articulate the complex interplay between their personal aspirations and the turbulent global environment. The interview protocol was designed to explore how students navigated the uncertainty of the post-pandemic era, their perceptions of changing international relations (such as US-China rivalry), and the specific "tipping points" that led to their decision to opt out of global mobility. For data analysis, the study adopted a multi-scalar thematic analysis framework. The qualitative data were systematically coded and categorised into three distinct levels: the macro-level (international political tensions and economic recessions), the meso-level (alterations in mobility infrastructure and institutional barriers), and the micro-level (individual reassessments of the symbolic value of international study). By synthesising these multi-layered narratives, the methodology rigorously reconstructs how the "calculative self" emerges as a coping mechanism, shifting the focus from the romanticised cultural value of study abroad to a more pragmatic evaluation of economic returns and safety.

The findings of this study reveal a profound transformation in the logic of international student mobility, demonstrating how geopolitical instability has fundamentally disrupted the "collective imagination" of global higher education. Through a multi-scalar analysis, we identify that participants have actively recalibrated their strategies in response to a hostile global landscape. At the macro level, students perceive international political tensions and economic recessions not merely as background noise but as direct threats to the viability of their educational investments. At the meso level, the deterioration of mobility infrastructure—manifested in visa uncertainties and travel restrictions—has dismantled the practical bridges for overseas study. Most significantly, at the micro level, our analysis uncovers a shift towards a "calculative self." Participants have moved away from viewing study abroad as a journey of cultural exploration and symbolic capital accumulation. Instead, they now adopt a one-dimensional, pragmatic lens, rigorously weighing the economic returns against the heightened risks of health and safety. The symbolic value of a Western degree has diminished, replaced by a preference for stability and predictability within the domestic sphere. Consequently, this study concludes that amid lasting turbulence, the discourse on international student mobility (ISM) must pivot to address the reality of "immobility." The previously shared global imaginings have fractured, marking a departure from the era of unfettered mobility to a new normality where geopolitical friction dictates educational choices, leading to a structural misalignment between student desires and the traditional offerings of the international education market.

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