The problematization of racial/ethnic minority student participation in U.S. study abroad

Abstract

Within U.S. higher education, there has been concern expressed about the underrepresentation of racial/ethnic minority students in U.S. study abroad programs. Though as a whole these students participate in study abroad at lower rates than their Caucasian counterparts, the fact that study abroad participation is even problematized by race/ethnicity (rather than other social categories such as gender, socioeconomic status or field of study) and the manner by which this is done warrant critical investigation. Drawing upon Foucault's concept of problematization (1984, 1988), this paper examines the discourses and practices (both discursive and nondiscursive) that mark current study abroad literature in which participation by U.S. undergraduates is tracked, categorized and ranked by race and ethnicity. It further problematizes the taken-for-granted assumptions that masquerade as truths and inhabit the methodological and analytical practices that govern research on racial and ethnic minority students, and in the process, uncovers an overarching code of thought that permeates the literature. Ultimately, this paper seeks to challenge the “truths” and counter the assumptions upon which this code of thought is based by highlighting those voices only marginally recognized in study abroad participation literature. These voices provide a local and contextualized perspective on the factors contributing to the lower rates of participation among one racial/ethnic minority category: African Americans. Although the paper does not take up the topic of language learning in study abroad contexts, it does present the real world challenge of language-in-use. It addresses the material and subject effects that a problematization of study abroad participation by race/ethnicity has on students, research practices, institutional and governmental policies, and the allocation of resources related to language study and the promotion and support of study abroad.

Researching language-focused study abroad through an equity lens: A research agenda

“…Their results indicated that both traditional and non-traditional community college students viewed SA positively as an opportunity to increase their academic transfer prospects, intercultural competence, and L2 proficiency, and that to achieve these personal-level factors, there was a need for faculty encouragement and parental and peer group support. Similar to the challenges encountered by marginalized participants from four-year institutions (Thomas, 2013), the community college students in Amani and Kim (2018) also noted concerns about funding, fear of travel, and anxiety about academic-life balance as barriers that they had to overcome to participate in SA.…”

“…Investigating the experiences of these students can enhance our understanding of language learning during SA, highlight marginalized students' unique competencies and strengths (e.g., Doerr, 2020;Hartman et al, 2020;Perkins, 2020;Quan & Menard-Warwick, 2021), and inform our efforts to make SA a positive and equitable experience for all students. More research is needed to spotlight the voices of marginalized students, as previous authors have advocated (Anya, 2020;Lee & Green, 2016;Thomas, 2013). In addition, we argue that research on language-focused SA (i.e., SA programs with an L2 component) can benefit from adopting equity as a lens.…”

“…Scholars have further drawn attention to the multifaceted nature of SA participation and experiences in relation to sociohistorical circumstances. For instance, Thomas (2013) highlighted the fact that race and ethnicity are often intertwined with other variables, such as class, sending institution, and gender. Pointing out the personal barriers and institutional obstacles documented in the literature as the consequence of a deficit view, Thomas (2013) further accentuated the importance of identifying and addressing the needs and challenges experienced by underrepresented groups of students in making decisions to travel abroad.…”

Returning to Normal?: Reimagining Study Abroad and Language Learning for a Sustainable and Equitable Future

“…This is partly due to social class, which goes beyond economic means to include one's social identity, or perception and access to material and symbolic goods, such as international travel, healthcare, technology, and education (Diao, 2021). Moreover, underrepresented students may be turned away by programming that does not address their interests or assumes a desire to engage with the wealthy embedded in representations of SA, which oftentimes also intersects with White cultural practices (Anya, 2017;Thomas, 2013). For example, traveling to encounter exotic customs and food reflects the fact that these cultural practices may only be exotic for White students with limited intercultural experiences.…”

Black Student Experiences with Study Abroad Marketing and Recruitment

“…Specifically, there was no research incorporating Black student voices, experiences, or perspectives on marketing efforts. Because Black students are uniquely positioned to articulate what they find to be inclusive, qualitative research that involves said students was necessary for higher education leaders to better understand what aspects of study abroad marketing materials resonate with Black students (Nguyen, 2015;Thomas, 2013). With that aim, this study examined how Black undergraduate students at predominantly White institutions described their experiences with study abroad marketing and recruitment efforts.…”