Ibrahim Gardner
International students often face challenges navigating racial identities and prejudice in countries like the US and Canada. While discussions about diversity in US higher education focus on domestic students, international students contribute to the diversity of nationalities. However, their experiences with race and ethnicity are often overlooked, and they may encounter discrimination and microaggressions due to their minority status within a racialized environment. International students of colour, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, have reported facing racial microaggressions and being singled out for their accents, values, intelligence, and appearance. The lack of diversity training and cultural understanding in colleges can contribute to these challenges, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and aware campus experience for international students.
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What You'll Learn
- International students of colour experiencing a new minority status in the US
- Microaggressions and discrimination faced by international students
- International students' incomplete understanding of race and racial identity in America
- International students' experiences navigating racial identities
- International students adding diversity of nationality to the American higher education landscape
International students of colour experiencing a new minority status in the US
International students are often considered to add diversity of nationality to the American higher education landscape. However, discussions about diversity and inclusion within US higher education typically revolve around domestic students, especially racial and ethnic minorities. This narrative overlooks the fact that many international students are people of colour, who may experience a new minority status in the US.
Research has shown that international students of colour often experience "discomfort" as they navigate their new racialised environment in the US. This discomfort may be heightened for students from the Global South, who may not have previously identified with a racial group before entering the US, where race is often a significant facet of identity. For example, Bardhan & Zhang's study of students from the Global South at a midwestern university found that participants from sub-Saharan African or mainly Black countries struggled with "becoming" Black in the United States.
A 2016 survey by World Education Services (WES) found that sub-Saharan African and MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) students, as well as Chinese students, were the most likely to cite discrimination as a significant challenge. Microaggressions, or "brief, everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to people of colour because they belong to a racial minority group", were a particular issue. Examples of microaggressions include being excluded and avoided, being ridiculed for one's accent, having one's international values and needs disregarded, and assumptions about intelligence.
The experience of international students of colour in the US highlights the need for a more inclusive and aware campus environment. Initiatives such as the Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education project aim to address these issues by providing data-informed insights and raising new questions about race and ethnicity in American higher education.
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Microaggressions and discrimination faced by international students
International students are often people of colour (POC) and may face discrimination within their universities. They are frequently subjected to microaggressions, which are brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioural, or environmental indignities that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults.
A survey conducted in 2016 by World Education Services (WES) found that Sub-Saharan African, Middle Eastern and North African (MENA), and Chinese students were the most likely to cite discrimination as a top challenge. These students experienced microaggressions such as being excluded and avoided, being ridiculed for their accent, having their international values and needs disregarded, making assumptions about their intelligence, and encountering environmental microaggressions.
International students of colour, who may have occupied a privileged position in their home country, can be particularly sensitive to their new minority status and the discrimination they experience. For example, students from Sub-Saharan African or mainly Black countries may struggle with 'becoming' Black in the United States.
Racial microaggressions can reinforce white privilege or systemic racism, and increasing awareness of this issue is crucial. Students can face derogatory comments about their country of origin, threats, and doubts about their academic ability. These experiences can have consequences for the psychological well-being of international students, and there are various strategies for dealing with microaggressions, including letting it go, responding immediately, or responding later through private dialogue.
Discussions about diversity and inclusion within U.S. higher education tend to focus on domestic students, particularly racial and ethnic minorities, while international students are often viewed solely as adding diversity of nationality. However, the experiences of international students navigating race and ethnicity in the U.S. and, to a lesser extent, Canada, are important to consider for creating more inclusive campuses.
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International students' incomplete understanding of race and racial identity in America
International students often have an incomplete understanding of race and racial identity in America. They arrive in the United States with racial and cultural orientations specific to their country of origin, which can be quite different from the conceptions of race and racism within the US context. Many international students of colour become minorities within the racialized environment of the US, which can be a difficult adjustment.
Discussions about diversity and inclusion in US higher education typically focus on domestic students, particularly racial and ethnic minorities. International students are generally spoken of as adding diversity of nationality rather than race. There is a lack of substantive discussion about the other facets of international students' identities, such as race, and the challenges that this can bring. For example, a survey conducted in 2016 by World Education Services (WES) found that sub-Saharan African and MENA (Middle Eastern and North American) students, followed by Chinese students, were the most likely to cite discrimination as a top challenge.
Research by Bardhan & Zhang supports this, as they found that race is often not a facet of identity for many international students of colour when they enter the US, and that race is sometimes seen as a "Western phenomenon". Their study of students from the Global South at a midwestern university found that the experience of racialization was most intense for participants from sub-Saharan African or mainly black countries who struggled with 'becoming' black in the United States.
Other research by Malcolm and Mendoza focused on Afro-Caribbean undergraduate students and found that they used issues of race and ethnicity to explore their own identities, often confirming their ethnic and national identities and learning new viewpoints. This process has been referred to as "integrative awareness", where students understand their "racial/ethnic positioning" in the US while maintaining a solid sense of self.
The different concepts of race and racial identity between Black Americans and international students of colour can cause tension. For example, international students of colour may experience discrimination, prejudice, and microaggressions in the US, which can be difficult to cope with. They may also feel disconnected from Black American students because of their accents or because they hold stereotypes about them.
It is important for institutions to develop an awareness of the issues that international students face in terms of discrimination and integration around issues of race. By acknowledging international students' racial identities and experiences with race, institutions can begin to create more inclusive and anti-racist campuses.
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International students' experiences navigating racial identities
International students in the United States often experience challenges in navigating their racial identities. While discussions about diversity and inclusion in US higher education focus largely on domestic students from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, international students are typically recognised for adding diversity of nationality. However, this overlooks the racial dimensions of their identities and the unique challenges they face in navigating race and racism in the US context.
International students of colour, particularly those from the Global South, often find themselves in the position of becoming a racial minority for the first time in the US. This can be disorienting, especially if they previously occupied privileged positions in their home countries. For instance, Bardhan & Zhang's interviews with students from the Global South revealed that race was not a significant facet of identity for many upon entering the US, and some even viewed race as a "Western phenomenon".
The experience of racialisation can be particularly intense for students from sub-Saharan Africa or predominantly Black countries, who must navigate what it means to be Black in the US context. For example, Black international students from Africa or the Caribbean may be confused for Black Americans based on physical appearance, but their accents or other aspects of their identity may lead to them being seen as different.
International students bring diverse perspectives and experiences to their understanding of race and racism. For instance, students from less diverse countries, such as China, the Netherlands, or South Korea, may connect race with culture and nationality due to their socialisation in monoracial national contexts. Their definitions of race are often intersectional, intertwining concepts of ethnicity, culture, and nationality.
Additionally, international students may face discrimination, prejudice, and microaggressions in the US. A 2016 survey by World Education Services found that students from sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and China were the most likely to cite discrimination as a top challenge. These microaggressions can take various forms, including exclusion, ridicule of accents, invisibilisation, disregard for international values and needs, assumptions about intelligence, and environmental microaggressions.
The experiences of international students in navigating racial identities are complex and influenced by various factors, including their countries of origin, personal backgrounds, and the institutional contexts they encounter in the US. Understanding these experiences is crucial for creating more inclusive and aware campus environments.
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International students adding diversity of nationality to the American higher education landscape
International students are often regarded as adding diversity of nationality to the American higher education system. However, discussions about inclusion and diversity within US higher education predominantly revolve around domestic students, particularly racial and ethnic minorities. The focus is rarely on other facets of international students' identities, such as race, and the challenges that it can bring.
International students of colour, especially those from the Global South, often experience a culture shock when they find themselves becoming a minority within the racialised environment of the US. They may have had a privileged position in their home country and now have to navigate their new minority status and the discrimination that comes with it. Research has shown that sub-Saharan African, Middle Eastern and North African students, as well as Chinese students, are the most likely to experience discrimination. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Asian students were attacked and taunted for wearing face masks.
Many international students have an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of race and racial identity in America before their arrival. Their perspectives are often shaped by stereotypes in popular culture, and they may have very different perspectives on race and ethnicity from their home countries. For some, coming to the United States is the first time they are identified as a racial minority, and they may struggle with this new racial identity.
Colleges and universities in the US have been criticised for not paying specific attention to the gaps in international students' awareness of race and the culture shock they can experience. While diversity education may be offered, it often does not take into account the diverse backgrounds and experiences of foreign students. This lack of diversity training for students from abroad could be a critical blind spot for colleges, especially as America continues to struggle with racism.
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Frequently asked questions
International students are considered minorities, especially in the context of race and ethnicity in the United States.
International students of colour often experience a culture shock when they suddenly become a minority in the racialised environment of the United States. They may encounter discrimination, microaggressions, and discomfort as a result of their new minority status.
The lack of diversity training for students from abroad has been identified as a critical blind spot for American colleges. International students may have an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of race and racial identity in the United States, leading to a culture shock when they are viewed through a racial lens.
A survey by World Education Services (WES) found that students from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and North Africa, as well as Chinese students, frequently cited discrimination as a top challenge. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian students were attacked and taunted for wearing face masks.
Colleges can address the gaps in international students' awareness of race and diversity by providing specific diversity training that takes into account the unique backgrounds and experiences of international students. This can help create a more inclusive and aware campus experience for international students navigating racial identities in a new cultural context.
