A Qualitative Exploration of International Student Activism in the U.S. Racial Justice Movement: Understanding Motivations, Experiences, and Challenges

• In Event: Student Agency and Multiple Voices in Student Mobility

Proposal

College students in the United States have a long history of engaging in activism, with racial justice increasingly becoming a prominent driver of student activism in recent years (author, 2021). However, there is also a considerable gap in research on the participation of international students, particularly in the context of the racial justice movement on campus, which has typically centered around domestic students. This research proposal aims to address this gap by investigating the experiences, expectations, and motivations of international student activists who take part in movements against racial injustice perpetrated by their institution. By exploring their decision-making processes, peer influence, and their understanding of protests and the racial climate in the U.S., this study aims to offer insight into unique challenges faced by international student activists and examine how institutional resources can support and engage with international students on U.S.-themed social issues.
The research question asks:
1. How do international student activists' individual motives and values shape their positioning within racial justice activism on campus?
2. What are the subjective meanings that international student activists attach to their involvement in racial justice student activism, and how do these meanings influence their engagement?
3. How do peer influence and social networks influence international students' decisions to join or avoid student activism?

Theoretical framework
This study will be based on Weberian social action theory, which emphasizes the impact of external factors on an individual's behavior. This theoretical framework provides a foundation to examine international student activists' engagement with racial justice movements in the United States by diving into their experiences and exploring how their actions are shaped by social structures and responses from others.

Research Design
This research will adopt a qualitative case study approach to gain greater insight into the experiences and perspectives of international student activists. The research will be conducted at a small liberal arts college in the United States, where there is evidence of ongoing student movement against anti-racist climate, policies, and practices during the time of this investigation. Data will be gathered through semi-structured interviews with international student activists who have taken an action for the activist movements, whether virtually (social media posts) or in-person (e.g., protests). Purposive sampling will be used to choose volunteers who will be involved in activism. Snowball sampling is used to recruit additional participants. The interview questions will center on identifying student decision-making processes, motivations and experiences in activist movements on campus. Document analysis (websites, social media sites, etc.) will also be included in the research to better understand the specific context of student activism explored in this case study.

Preliminary Findings
Although the study remains ongoing, preliminary findings highlight two crucial aspects. First, peer influence and empathy play a significant role in motivating international students to participate in campus activists’ movement, particularly in small liberal arts colleges where strong connections build a sense of solidarity. Empathy for their classmates' racial injustice experiences serves as a driving force, motivating them to stand in solidarity with friends and fellow students engaged in activism. Secondly, despite their participation in the movements, international students feel uncomfortable and uncertain about their position in US racial justice issues. A large contributing element is their reported lack of prior experience with activism in the United States, along with limited exposure to activist culture in their home countries. Their uncertainty and unfamiliarity with the American context of racial justice is another contributing factor. The study intends to draw further insights on these elements impacting their decision-making processes, the role of peer influence, and the problems they face in the field of racial justice activism in US universities by obtaining additional data and conducting further analysis.

Contribution
This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the experiences of international student activists and their involvement in social movements against racial injustice in the United States. It contributes to the scholarship on student activism and the experiences of international students in higher education by examining the factors influencing their decision-making and the role of peer influence when international students face student activism on campus. Furthermore, the findings will shed light on institutional resources for addressing the unique challenges faced by international student activists, with implications for higher education institutions on how to support and engage international students in social justice issues related to the United States.

Author

• Yuriko Sato, The University of Wisconsin-Madison