The Embeddedness of Racial Microaggressions in International Student Experiences at a Predominantly White Insitution

Background/Purpose: Coined in the 70s by Chester Pierce, the concept of microaggressions was revived in academic discourse and has recently expanded to include experiences of multiple identity groups beyond race (Lui & Quezada, 2019). Sue and colleagues (2007) defined microaggressions as “brief everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to certain individuals because of their group membership” (p. 273). While group experiences based on race, gender, and sexual orientation have been examined under this framework, there is a dearth of research “devoted to understanding how international students experience race and racial bias before and after U.S. arrival” (Yeo, et al., 2019, p. 40). Despite their large presence in the US higher-education system, international students are voiceless due to their transient nature. Studies on this population have centered around acculturative experiences to the host society, which are only tangentially related to discrimination and marginalization. Therefore, the goal of this research is to explore the lived experiences of international students at a predominantly White institution (PWI) in the South (Johnson et al., 2018). With the understanding that racism is endemic within American society for people of color, including international students, the study

uses racial microaggressions as the framework to account for modern-day, covert racism. Participants’ stories offered a counter-narrative to existing literature dominated by Whites.

Methods: Based on the phenomenological approach, semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 international students who had studied at a flagship university in a Southern state known for its history of racial segregation for at least one semester. Through convenience sampling, interviews were conducted from January to February 2020, each being 20-45 minutes. They were recorded, transcribed, and coded using NVivo12. The study identified themes shared among the participants that represented their lived experiences using the reflexive approach.

Results: Sample characteristics include age (21-28), gender (75% female), and country of origin (more than half from East or South Asia, followed by Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East). Four themes were identified: 1) English language as a barrier; 2) the value of cultural differences to international students; 3) a sense of belonging on campus that can seem paradoxical but not necessarily contradictory; and 4) racialization as a new experience. In the first three themes (language, culture and belonging) we found that racialization was embedded in the stories told by participants. Participants generally exhibited two tendencies: “deny then contradict” their encounters with microaggressions; and “minimize and internalize blame” for being victimized.

Conclusions/Implications: Extant knowledge on international students have focused on general acculturative issues, and recently, attention is being paid to the racialization of international students. This study aims to bridge the two areas by demonstrating that racialization is embedded throughout the holistic acculturative experience of international students. Given this year’s theme, we argue the elephant in the room must be addressed in university policies regarding diversity and inclusion. Implications for administrative leadership, international offices, and student governance will be discussed.