Experiences of BIPOC Expatriate International School Educators in China: a Critical Hermeneutic Phenomenology

• Main Author: Roberts, Lucas James
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2024
• Subjects: Educational leadership; Educational psychology; Educational sociology
• ISBN: 9798383001172

This study examined the lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) expatriate international school educators in China and their encounters with discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, or nationality. The global climate surrounding race relations—heated in recent years by the Black Lives Matter movement, geo-political and ethnic tensions stirred up during COVID-19, and backlash against Critical Race Theory— provided a critical and contemporary lens through which to view the topic of discrimination in the international school industry, an industry with roots in colonialism. Critical Race Theory and Critical Systems Theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. A key research question guided the study: What are the experiences of BIPOC expatriate educators within international school recruiting and hiring systems? A sub-question asked: In what ways do BIPOC expatriate educators attribute racial, ethnic, or linguistic biases/prejudices to their perceived limitations to advance professionally? The research design was critical hermeneutic phenomenology through which individuals participated in semi-structured interviews. Previous studies have shown the lack of pathway programs for BIPOC educators in Western countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, from which most Western international school educators hail. Problematizing the lack of racial and ethnic diversity amongst international school educators, which limits what students experience in international schools, this study gives voice to the lived experiences of six BIPOC expatriate international school educators in China. Six themes emerged from the study: Navigating Identity: Names, Nationalities, and Being Noticed; Navigating Systems; Elusive Racism; Educator Fatigue; Employment Precarity; Educator Agency: Navigating Diverse Narratives. Several practical and research implications arose which may aid international school leaders and organizations seeking to better understand what BIPOC educators experience in the industry’s recruiting, hiring, and promotion practices.