Transnational resilience: exploring international students’ agency in response to systemic racism in U.S. higher education

Abstract

This phenomenological inquiry explored how 19 international students in U.S. higher education developed a sense of agency in response to systemic racism. The findings revealed three main factors associated with participants’ sense of agency: (1) transnational role models, (2) the community and social network established in the United States and (3) personal beliefs, values, and morality. By focusing on how international students draw on their transnational experiences and knowledge to develop agency in response to systemic racism, this study contributes to scholarships on learning outcomes associated with international student mobility and their experiences with race and racism. It also adds to the increasing body of research that challenges deficit paradigms toward international students prevalent in scholarly discourse by highlighting their agency and assets. Implications for future research and practice are also discussed.