Excluded and avoided: Racial microaggressions targeting Asian international students in Canada.

Abstract

This qualitative study explored East and South Asian international students' (N = 12) experiences with racial microaggressions at one Canadian university. Data were collected through unstructured, individual interviews. Using a modified version of the consensual qualitative research method (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997), we identified six racial microaggressions themes: (a) excluded and avoided, (b) ridiculed for accent, (c) rendered invisible, (d) disregarded international values and needs, (e) ascription of intelligence, and (f) environmental microaggressions (structural barriers on campus). In addition, we used the same approach to identify themes pertaining to the ways in which students coped with racial microaggressions: (a) engaging with own racial and cultural groups, (b) withdrawing from academic spheres, and (c) seeking comfort in the surrounding multicultural milieu. Microaggressions and coping themes differed based on country of origin and language proficiency. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Asian International Student and Asian American Student: Mistaken Identity and Racial Microaggressions

“…Given such climates and lack of attention, international students often mistakenly feel they are implicitly responsible for their experiences of discrimination. One way that international students interpret discrimination as an individual-level problem is by saying it is due to their lowlevel language proficiency or cultural differences, which often cause them to withdraw from academic spheres (Houshmand et al, 2014). Unfortunately, these challenges are generally considered as temporary issues that will decrease once international students become more familiar with American culture and improve their English proficiency.…”

“…Arguably, patterns of racism and RMAs that American students of color endure are similar to those of international students of color: overt racial slurs and expressed disdain, second-class citizen status, pathologies of cultural values and communication styles, assumptions of criminality, and alienation in their own country (Bonilla-Silva, 2014;Omi & Winant, 2015;Solórzano, Ceja, & Yosso, 2000;Sue, 2010aSue, , 2010bYosso, Smith, Ceja, & Solórzano, 2009). Common stereotypes of Asian Americans, such as a "model minority alienated by one's own country" (Sue, Bucceri, Lin, Nadal, & Torino, 2007), similarly apply to Asian international students (Houshmand et al, 2014). African international students experience stereotypes of criminality, just as African American students in the United States (Mwaura, 2008).…”

“…High enrollment numbers of international students contribute to diversity, knowledge and skill exchanges, financial revenue, and global competence promotion for American college students (Altbach, 2004;Bevis & Lucas, 2007;Greenblatt, 2005;Hanassab, 2006;NAFSA, 2017). In 2016, international students arrived from over on skin color, nationality, gender, and religion via explicit and covert forms of inhospitality and discrimination (Bordoloi, 2014;Houshmand, Spanierman, & Tafarodi, 2014;Lee & Rice, 2007;Poyrazli & Lopez, 2007). Their RMAs and racialization experiences are severely underreported and underresearched (Chong & Razek, 2014;Kim & Kim, 2010).…”

Creating a Counter-Space through Listening to and Learning from a Korean Pre-service Teacher’s Experiences

“…Houshmand, Spanierman, & Tafarodi, 2014). Given that Sumi described her teacher preparation contexts and professional settings as predominantly white, the notion of whiteness partly explains the pervasive phenomena of racialization.…”

A Study of Local Incorporation of Migrant Professionals in Wroclaw

“…Moreover, many interviewees also do not feel fully accepted by the host society, due to various forms of prejudice or racism. Actually, workers switching to Polish, as I described above, may be interpreted as a kind of racial micro‐aggression based on disrespect towards culturally different colleagues (Houshmand et al., ). However, my interviewees do not see this behaviour as racist.…”