Navigating and (Re)Constructing Racial Identity Through Racialization in U.S. Higher Education: A Qualitative Investigation on Chinese International Students’ Experiences

• In Event: Reclaiming and Negotiating Space and Identity

Abstract

This study employs the frameworks of Asian Critical Race Theory and intersectionality to illuminate how race and language together (re)construct/(re)shape Chinese international students (CIS)' identities through their educational and lived experience in the U.S. Through qualitative interviews with 20 CISs, the study explores how these students develop their identities through experiences of racialization and linguistic (re)socialization. Thematic analysis reveal key themes such as minimal pre-arrival ERI salience, racial and linguistic discrimination, and diverse coping strategies. This paper call for a more multifaceted framework to capture the complexities of international student experiences, emphasizing the need for higher education institutions to facilitate more inclusive and supportive environments that address the complexities of their identity negotiation processes.

Authors

• Hailing Wang, University of Texas at Austin

• Gengqi Xiao, University of Wisconsin-Madison