“They take advantage of you”: How Precarious Work Leads to Food Insecurity Among International Students

• In Event: 30821 - Open Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 4

Abstract

Few studies have documented the growth of food insecurity among international college students, and even less have examined why international students become food insecure. Neoliberal policies at higher education institutions have impacted international student campus employment, however, it remains understudied. This article examines why international students from a wealthy private university turn to a local food pantry for support. Drawing upon ethnographic fieldwork, I show while international students are middle-class youth from their sending countries, when they arrive to the US, they are funneled into low-wage, precarious jobs, like campus food services. The findings reveal not only the complexity of food insecurity among international students, but also the neoliberal policies that put them at risk for food insecurity in the first place.

Author

• Tori-Ann Haywood, Syracuse University