Learning Race in a U.S. Context: An Emergent Framework on the Perceptions of Race Among Foreign-Born Students of Color

• Published in: Journal of diversity in higher education Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 1 - 13
• Main Authors: Fries-Britt, Sharon, George Mwangi, Chrystal A., Peralta, Alicia M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Educational Publishing Foundation 01-03-2014; American Psychological Association
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Blacks; College Students; Cross Cultural Differences; Cultural Differences; Educational Experience; Ethnic Identity; Foreign Nationals; Graduate Students; Guidelines; Human; International Students; Latin Americans; Majors (Students); Minority Group Students; Minority Groups; Physics; Qualitative Research; Racial and Ethnic Differences; Racial Attitudes; Racial Bias; Racial Identification; Racial Identity; Racism; Self Concept; Semi Structured Interviews; STEM Education; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Undergraduate Students; racial identity; students of color; race/ethnicity; international students
• ISSN: 1938-8926; 1938-8934
• DOI: 10.1037/a0035636

Foreign-born students of color arrive in the United States with racial and cultural orientations specific to their country of origin, which are often quite distinct from issues of race and racism within the U.S. context. This qualitative study examines the college experiences of 15 foreign-born students of color to address the research question: How do foreign-born students of color perceive and respond to racialized experiences and their racial minority status in the United States? The findings of this study reveal that traditional frameworks on race and racial identity development do not fully capture the perceptions and behaviors of foreign-born students of color. Our data reveal patterns that we offer as an emergent framework on Learning Race in a U.S. Context (LRUSC). Understanding how foreign-born students make meaning of racialization in the United States can give education researchers and practitioners more holistic insight into the educational experiences of this growing student population.