From Majority to Minority: Raciolinguistic Socialization of Chinese Students in U.S. Higher Education

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Abstract

This study explores how Chinese international students (CISs) in U.S. higher education understand and negotiate race and language, grounded in raciolinguistic ideologies (Flores & Rosa, 2015) and raciolinguistic enregisterment (Agha, 2003; Rosa & Flores, 2017). We investigate: (1) How do CISs make sense of race and language? (2) How do raciolinguistic socialization experiences in China and the U.S. influence their perceptions? Semi-structured interviews with 14 CISs reveal the impact of family, media, and educational institutions on their ideologies. Post-arrival experiences of language-based discrimination and interactions in diverse settings further shape their views. This research highlights the need for educational practices that support the raciolinguistic identities of international students.

Authors

• Gengqi Xiao, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Hailing Wang, University of Texas at Austin