Navigating Knowledge Hierarchies: Parent-Student Negotiations in Overseas Education Decision-Making amidst Geopolitical Tensions

International study has become increasingly popular as students worldwide seek high-quality educational resources in a globalized environment. However, recent geopolitical tensions and rising nationalism have significantly reshaped the landscape of international higher education, leading many students to alter their study destinations or abandon their plans (Kim & Park, 2024). This study focuses on Chinese students, the largest outbound group globally, within a context where power dynamics and stratified spaces in international student mobility often prioritize Western knowledge systems (Brooks & Waters, 2022). Using data from the Panel Study of Chinese University Students (PSCUS) from 2019 to 2022, it explores how students’ family background, university type, academic performance, and major selection changed and influence these decisions. The findings reveal significant changes after 2021, largely influenced by global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating US-China tensions, as noted by scholars (Mok, Xiong, & Cheung, 2021; Marginson, 2022). Interviews with students further support this argument, and highlighting a decreasing reliance on global university rankings in decision-making. This shift suggests a challenge to the dominance of Western higher education and a movement toward breaking its hegemony. Additionally, the study underscores the role of student agency in these mobility decisions (Marginson, 2014), marked by negotiations with parents. Students from diverse backgrounds often employ varied strategies to persuade their parents, reflecting a nuanced approach to family influence. Overall, this research provides insights into how Chinese students’ mobility is shaped not only by geopolitical uncertainties but also by their roles as active agents challenging and negotiating knowledge hierarchies in international education. The study contributes to ongoing discussions on how student mobility can reinforce or contest established knowledge structures, while also highlighting emerging trends that reflect a shifting global educational paradigm.