Othering and Being Othered: Experiences and Reflections of Chinese Female PhD Graduates in Cross-Cultural Job Search

Abstract

The growing female population in higher education is not only seen in enrollment growth in domestic institutions, but also in the increased presence and academic mobility of female international students. Over the past decades, many female students from China have done their post-graduate studies overseas, and many of them have attempted cross-cultural job searches in the host countries or regions. International study and working experience should give an advantage in a competitive global labor market, but these female job seekers experience difficulties and hidden obstacles as academic novices, cultural outsiders, and females. This study applies semi-structured life story interviews to a group of 12 female PhD graduates who have recently sought academic positions in Europe. This article adopts the conceptual framework of Othering and analyzes the difficulties and hidden barriers encountered by these Chinese female PhD graduates during their cross-cultural job searches. More specifically, three types of Othering are identified, namely, Racialized Othering, Linguistic Othering, and Social Othering, all of which played a role in marginalizing individuals and hindering their job searches.