A Narrative Inquiry into Asian International Students’ Engagement in Race-based Advocacy

• In Event: The persistent oppression of racism in global higher education

Proposal

Objectives: As part of a broader qualitative research project exploring international students’ development of critical agency as it relates to issues of race and racism, this paper examines how critical agency facilitate Asian international students’ engagement in racial justice advocacy. Research on Asian international students have reinforced deficit perspectives toward the population by focusing on their academic, socio-cultural, and linguistic challenges that they experience in a host society and institution and attributing them to individual failure to adjust to a new environment (Liu et al., 2022). This narrative is also reflected in a growing scholarship on Asian international students’ experiences with race and racism in U.S., higher education as there is few research that explores how the population responds to and resist systemic racism (Liu et al., 2022). Accordingly, limited research exists regarding how Asian international students engage in advocacy in general and race-related advocacy in particular. While George-Mwangi et al. (2018) has examined the race-related advocacy of foreign-born Black students at a predominantly white institution, to the best of knowledge, no research has specifically focused on Asian international students. Drawing on critical agency theory, the current study explores how seven Asian international students engage in race-related advocacy and is guided by the following research questions: 1) How do Asian international students develop critical agency? 2) How does critical agency facilitate Asian international students’ engagement in race-based advocacy?

Theoretical Framework: This study is guided by critical agency theory. Critical agency consists of three components of critical consciousness, agency, and urgency (Museus, 2021). Critical consciousness refers to an ability to identify, read, and analyze inequitable social conditions, such as educational and occupational disparities along race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, and as well as interpersonal forms of oppression and to attribute their causes to structural, systemic, and historical factors (Diemer et al., 2017). Agency refers to one’s perceived capacity to enact positive social changes despite structural constraints whereas urgency is associated with feeling the need to take actions (Museus, 2021). Considering the current study’s focus on systemic racism, this critical agency framework is utilized to examine international students’ consciousness as well as sense of agency and urgency regarding issues of systemic racism.

Methods and Data Analysis: This study employed qualitative methods because they allow for an in-depth exploration and interpretation of complex experiences, issues, or social phenomenon (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Among various possible qualitative approaches, narrative inquiry was chosen because it specifically aims to understand how humans experience the world through the stories shared by participants (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990). Narrative inquiry was well-suited for this study as it sought to explore the lived stories and experiences of participants engaged in advocacy. The research employed criterion, maximum variation, and snowball sampling strategies to recruit international students who had participated in or considered participating in causes that promote racial justice. Ultimately, the final sample included 20 students from 13 different countries. Out of these, seven participants were selected from the larger pool of 20 students. These seven participants consisted of three students from China, one from South Korea, one from the Philippines, one from Vietnam, and one from India. Data was collected through two methods: first, participants completed a consent form along with brief demographic characteristics, and second, two in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant through Zoom. The interviews lasted between 40 to 60 minutes and were audio-recorded and transcribed with the participants' consent. Following the transcription, the data was analyzed using a two-step process involving open-coding and focused coding to identify common themes and patterns across the participants' stories and experiences.

Preliminary Results: Findings suggest that three major factors facilitated participants’ critical agency and engagement in race-based advocacy: critical incidents, transnational identities and experiences, and community of support. First, critical incidents refer to events that triggered the participants' involvement in race-based advocacy. These incidents encompass larger racial hostilities that gained national and global attention, such as the death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movements, and incidents of Anti-Asian Hate associated with COVID-19. Additionally, more localized racialized hostilities within their campus and community also served as catalysts for their engagement. Second, participants discussed how their transnational identities and experiences influenced their sense of responsibility to contribute to racial and social justice both in the United States and the global community. Next, participants highlighted the importance of finding a community that shared a similar commitment to racial and social justice. This sense of belonging provided them with emotional support and tangible opportunities and resources that facilitated their involvement in race-based advocacy. Lastly, the participants also identified several barriers that hindered their engagement in race-based advocacy. These obstacles included emotional costs and sustainability concerns, as well as pressures associated with their international student status.

Discussion and Connection to the 2024 CIES Theme: To the best of my knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the engagement of Asian international students in race-based advocacy, and it offers several important insights that align with the theme of the 2024 CIES meeting. First, the study provides empirical evidence concerning the factors that facilitate Asian international students' involvement in race-based advocacy. This evidence can be valuable for U.S. higher education researchers, practitioners, and administrators, enabling them to design and implement effective campus programming, curriculum, policies, and climate to support such advocacy. Second, the study explores a relatively understudied area: Asian international students' involvement in race-based advocacy. By doing so, it contributes to expanding the scholarship on both advocacy and protest, as well as the experiences of international students. Third, the research sheds light on possible avenues for collaboration and solidarity among college students in advocating for racial and social justice, transcending domestic and international boundaries. Lastly, the analysis offers insights into the transnational implications of advocacy and advocacy among international students, considering their transnational lives and identities.

Author

• Sarang Kim, University of California San Diego