Exploring Racial Experiences of International Students in a Chinese Context

Miron Bhowmik; Sohana Wadud Ahmad

doi:10.29333/ejecs/2514

Authors

Miron Bhowmik The Education University of Hong Kong https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4585-781X
Sohana Wadud Ahmad The Education University of Hong Kong https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1121-6141

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2514

Keywords:

Racial experiences, Neoracism, Culture, Ethnicity, Mental well-being, International students, Internationalization of education, well-being, Hong Kong , higher education

Abstract

This paper provides an in-depth account of lived racial experiences faced by a group of international students in Hong Kong and how such experiences affected their academic, social, and mental well-being. Using neoracism as a theoretical lens and drawing on in-depth interviews with 10 international students, we found that most of our participants encountered subtle forms of racism inside campus while the experiences of racism outside campus were explicit. Participants were ostracized and felt lonely, helpless, and stressed out, which propelled them to adapt some coping mechanisms to survive the remaining study years and return to their homeland. Given the recent push towards internationalization of higher education by Hong Kong government, the findings of the study will help academics, support staff, leaders and policy makers undertake measures for creating a positive racial climate to attract more international students and provide them meaningful international education experiences.

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Author Biographies

Miron Bhowmik, The Education University of Hong Kong

Dr Miron Bhowmik is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Education Policy and Leadership (EPL), The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). He also serves as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Specialist in the Faculty of Education and Human Development. His research interest includes education and well-being of minoritised groups, as well as related policies and leadership practices. His work has appeared in, among others, Race Ethnicity and Education, Cambridge Journal of Education, Asian Ethnicity, Multicultural Education Review, Journal of Counseling Psychology, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Curriculum Perspectives, and Asia Pacific Journal of Education.

Sohana Wadud Ahmad , The Education University of Hong Kong

Dr Sohana Wadud Ahmad is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Education Policy and Leadership at the Education University of Hong Kong. She completed her doctoral degree from the School of Management, Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. She was a Lecturer at BRAC University, Bangladesh, before she pursued her doctoral degree, which was based on financial innovation and economic inclusion. She previously worked as a Research Assistant at the Education University of Hong Kong. Her previous research focused on DEI and ethnic minority education, adapting qualitative approaches. Her recent project involves school leadership and inclusion.

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