Understandings of race and racism in globalizing higher education: when east Asian international student perspectives resonate with color-blindness

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article examines how class, race, and neoliberal cultural logics are intertwined with the understanding of race and racism among Chinese and Korean international undergraduate students, drawing on data from an 18-month ethnography. The data suggests that the discourse of color-blind racial ideology and the positionality of the ‘strategic cosmopolitan’ interactively fabricate the perspective of East Asian international students. Specifically, their motivation for acquiring globally competitive cultural capital is connected to the pursuit of White capital. Despite aspiring to be cosmopolitan, students find themselves socially isolated on campus, which is attributed to cultural differences and individual responsibility rather than racial dynamics. Students tend to deny the existence of racial discrimination or avoid discussing racism, distancing themselves from ostensible racial subordinates while emphasizing individual responsibility and meritocracy. By investigating these dynamics, the article adds complexity to the understanding of racism and diversity in global higher education.