PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION

AMONG INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS IN HIGHER
EDUCATION

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Sooin Lee
Advisor: Eric Rogers, Ph.D.
Special Thanks to: Kathleen Menges
Introduction

•  The number of International students has been

continually increasing.
•  They bring talents, perspectives, and financial benefits
(17 billion dollars per year).
•  However, the needs of International students are not
appropriately accommodated.
•  Rather, many International students experience felt
discrimination, which is threatening to their well-being.
•  This presentation reviews prejudices against
International students.
Acculturation, Prejudice, and Discrimination

•  Acculturation is a process of adapting to a dominant

culture. A number of factors affect acculturation.
•  Amongst the many stressors of acculturation is
perceived discrimination.
•  Discrimination is an action by the dominant group
against a specific minority group based on prejudice
about the group.
•  Prejudices specifically toward International students are
related to their English language skills, their race or
ethnicity, and their classroom behaviors.
Unpolished English = Less intellectual

•  International students are often perceived as less

intellectual because of their English proficiency.
•  They may be patronized due to a power differential that
exists between language learners and language
speakers.

•  They are likely blamed for the misunderstanding

that happens in the interaction with native English
speakers.
Non-White/non-European = Others

•  “Students from Asia, India, Latin America, and the

Middle East reported considerable discrimination while
students from Europe, Canada, and New Zealand did
not report any direct negative experiences related to
their race or culture. (Lee & Rice, 2007)”
•  International students are differently treated based on
stereotypes or prejudices about their national origin.

•  International students from non-Western cultures

are often perceived as rude because they interact
with people different ways.
Less speaking = Uninterested/nonparticipant

•  Many non-White, non-European International students

have a hard time engaging in classroom discussion.
•  It may take a longer time for them to speak up because
of their lack of English fluency, which affects
processing speed. They may also have culturally
different learning styles.

•  Some of them learn by listening and reflecting. This

is, at times, misunderstood as a lack of opinion.
•  Others only speak when they can make meaningful
contributions to the discussion.
Less speaking = Uninterested/nonparticipant

•  Yet even some outspoken International students are

regarded as less participating due to projected prejudices
onto them.

•  For example, Asian students are seen as quiet; they are

misunderstood as uninterested and not full of valuable
opinions.
•  Thus, when they speak in class, their opinions are
overlooked and not taken seriously.

•  Many International students are not familiar with the

American culture that most discussions take their root from.
Conclusion

•  International students do not have any more or less

difficulty understanding the materials, intellectually
speaking.
•  They have every single right to be treated fairly and
assisted with their learning.
•  Accommodation may be necessary in order to make up
for their language or cultural gaps due to being a foreign
student.
•  Not only should International students adjust to cultural
differences (within limits) in classroom, but also
instructors, peer students, and the institutions should make
efforts to understand them.
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