What Does It Mean to Be an Asian in a Pandemic? Exploring Experiences of Racism and Discrimination Among Asian International Students in the United States During COVID-19

• In Event: International Concepts in Education

Abstract

By interviewing 15 Asian international students in the United States, this phenomenological qualitative study explored students’ experiences on racism and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that Asian international graduate students directly and indirectly experienced racism and discrimination in both in-person situations and virtual settings during COVID-19. Six main themes emerged from our race-related conversations: 1) Asians are targets and victims of racism during COVID-19; 2) vicarious experiences with racism are pervasive; 3) anti-Asian incidents are more severe off-campus than on-campus; 4) racism that Asians experience is different from that experienced by other racial groups; 5) self-quarantine was a remedy to avoid racism; 6) laws and policies themselves discriminate against ethnic minorities.

Authors

• Katie K. Koo, University of Georgia

• Youngwon Kim

• JoonYoung Lee, Jackson State University

• Sarah Rodriguez, Texas A&M University - Commerce