Becoming Seen, Becoming Self: A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of African American High School Students’ Identity Negotiation During Study Abroad in China

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 1:45 pm
  In Poster Session: Interactive and Integrative Practices to Improve Teaching and Learning in Elementary & Secondary Contexts

Abstract

This study examines how African American high school students interpret symbolic cues and social interactions during a short-term study abroad program in China, shaping their racial, national, and global identities. Using symbolic interactionism, it analyzes pre- and post-trip interviews with eight students from an urban school. Findings reveal three shifts: heightened racial identity awareness due to prior racialized experiences; the temporary adoption of an “American” identity abroad; and the emergence of global citizenship through cross-cultural interactions. Students demonstrated agency in negotiating how others saw them and redefining their self-concepts. The study underscores the need for international programs that foster identity reflection and highlights how global experiences can help students build more coherent, empowered, and inclusive senses of self.

Authors

• Lijuan Shi, Bard High School Early College

• Shenika Hankerson, University of Maryland

• Kym Sturdivant, DC Public Schools

• Yuming Deng, Bard High School Early College

• Yuan Gao, Bard High School Early College