The responsible advocate: tracing the student subject in University of Lethbridge policies

Abstract

This thesis examines the student subject in institutional policies directed at undergraduate students at the University of Lethbridge. The central research questions are: Who is the student subject imagined and produced by such policies? What norms circulating within these policies fashion a particular kind of student subject? Universities are stratified workplaces, and policies directed towards students regulate and govern student behaviour, as well as their student experiences. Using a feminist post-structural discourse analytic, I examined the student subject in 17 University of Lethbridge policies that apply to undergraduate students. While the student subject is expected to follow a trajectory of success that includes specific modes of behaviour and performance, the student subject exercises agency. To illustrate student agency, a description of some activism initiatives led by students demonstrates how students challenge the ideal student narrative and forge a path towards more equity and accessibility for all university community members.