Prejudice And Discrimination

Prejudice And Discrimination

Author

Institution

Introduction

Prejudice and discrimination have been some of the most popular and controversial subjects in the recent times. This mostly took place between the whites and blacks. This, however, does not undermine the prejudice that existed or affected other communities and races, not only on the basis of color but other arenas. Prejudice is interpreted as something that belongs to the field of ideas and which may be either negative or positive. Discrimination, on the other hand, is attributed to observable behavior and comes with an invariably negative connotation. In essence, discriminatory events are interpreted on the basis of subjective factors such as the level of affectivity that exists between individuals, as well as their personal interests (Bonazzo & Wong, 2007). However, the limitation as to what may be interpreted as discriminatory depends on the context in which the individuals’ interaction occurred. It is worth noting that varied situations or even numerous motivations may trigger or underline discrimination. While prejudice and discrimination have been seen as declining in the recent times, the reduction has been slow in the case of interactions between English-speaking native students and international students (Bonazzo & Wong, 2007). It is worth noting that, for a long time, many people who came from England, France and Spain believe that they speak better English than other people especially from Quebec, Hispanic America and others. Interestingly, there exists some internal differences even within these countries, which has led scholars to point out that English is a language of users and that the users give it a distinctive or unique identity in every region (Smith, 1983).

As much as any individual may be a victim of linguicism irrespective of their ethnic or social status, international students from marginalized and oppressed social minorities are mostly the most consistent targets. This is mainly because the speech varieties that are associated with such groups tend to be stigmatized (McMurtrie, 2008).

Overall, international students are faced with discrimination and prejudice in the US daily, whether via direct interaction with their peers, government policies, or even the structural systems of advantages that privilege or favor native students especially whites. These assumptions have far-reaching influence on society and education, and usually make researchers categorize international students in one category without paying any regard to the differences or variations that exist between the varied populations of international students. According to Hinchcliff-Pelias & Greer (2004), most native students have negative perceptions of international students that are exhibited via assumptions and direct stereotypes. According to these authors, there exists a pervasive stereotype amongst Native American students called international student syndrome (Lee, 2007). This syndrome is described as a controversial condition that is characterized by a withdrawn and passive interpersonal style, disheveled appearance, as well as numerous psychosomatic ailments. It is worth noting that the perception of international students as withdrawn and passive increases problems in class, and affects their learning in a negative manner (Lee, 2007).

In addition, international students are usually anxious during intercultural interactions leading to the withdrawn and passive behavior. In most cases, the fact that native students look down on them leads to them internalizing the stereotypes and accepting them as the absolute truth since they think that they are entitled to few or no rights in US (Schoorman, 2000). The cycle of prejudice and discrimination and the subsequent internalization perpetuates the assumption that international students are essentially outsiders who are naive, confused and culturally maladjusted. Unfortunately, this is the same notion that is portrayed by the media as far as foreign or international students are concerned. Unfortunately, this portrayal only perpetuates other negative stereotypes such as the fact that they are overly sexual (McMurtrie, 2008).

As much as the prejudice and discrimination of international students by native students on the basis of their deficiency in English language is the most challenging stereotype that they have to face, they often fall prey to other stereotypes that are based on their ethnic groups. The behavior, which is called cultural insensitivity, underlines the categorization or grouping of international students in cultural aggregates (Schoorman, 2000). For example, there is a common stereotype amongst American students that Asian students would not stand for themselves and are passive. This over discrimination becomes even worse when emanating from administrators and faculty. The overt discrimination creates an unwelcoming learning environment for foreign or international students (Medgyes, 1992).

As much as there may have existed stereotypes amongst native students since time immemorial, they have mainly been fanned by government policies pertaining to immigration, as well as the emphasis on the standardized testing. These have only created significant barriers for foreign or international students. This is especially for international students from the Middle East seeking to attend learning institutions in United States. The policies have become worse after the September 11 attacks (Coleman, 1997). Research has shown that American visas are mostly discriminatory against international students, in which case most international students are incapable of concentrating or focusing on their studies as they worry about their financial problems and visas. This creates the stereotype or prejudice that the international students are comparatively less focused or competent in class than their Native American counterparts (Medgyes, 1992).

As Hsieh (2006) states, cultural homogeneity that is prevalent in the United States enforces the notion that the Eurocentric culture and the English language are superior to others, in which case people with different languages and cultures should conform to the monocultural and dominant canon and norms. In essence, native students see international students as lacking in culture and identity especially when they do not conform or align themselves to the dominant norms (Labi, 2008).

In conclusion, prejudice and discrimination of international students by their Native American counterparts has been a prevalent occurrence in the recent times. There exists a stereotype especially among Native American students referred to as the international student syndrome, characterized by withdrawn and passive interpersonal styles, as well as numerous psychosomatic ailments. These perceptions and assumptions affect international students negatively. In most cases, these prejudices are triggered by the discriminatory US immigration policies especially against students from the Middle East. It is worth noting that such students have to worry about their finances and visas leaving them with little time to concentrate on their studies. Unfortunately, this leads to their being christened dumb or passive. This may also be propelled by the fact that most international students are unable to align themselves to the dominant culture or language, which leads them to be passive and withdrawn. Most international students internalize the stereotypes and accept them as the absolute truth while believing that they are entitled to few or no rights in the US. Unfortunately, this not only cements the stereotypes but may also result in other stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination.

References

Medgyes, P (1992). “Native or Non-native: Who’s Worth More?” ELT Journal

Smith, L. E (1983). English as an International Language: No Room for Linguistic Chauvinism. Readings in English as a Second Language. Ed. Smith L. E. Oxford: Pergamon Press

Hsieh, M. (2006). Identity negotiation among female Chinese international students in second‐language higher education. College Student Journal

Greer, N.S. & Hinchcliff‐Pelias, M. (2004). The importance of intercultural communication in international education. International Education

Labi, A. (2008). Visa process keeps Iraqi students out of U.S. The Chronicle of Higher Education

Schoorman, D. (2000). How is internationalization implemented? A framework for organizational practice. Florida: Florida Atlantic University

McMurtrie, B. (2008). Foreign students pour back into the U.S. The Chronicle of Higher Education

Bonazzo, C. & Wong, J.Y. (2007). Japanese international female students’ experience of discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes. College Student Journal

Coleman, S. (1997). International students in the classroom: A resource and an opportunity. International Education

Lee, J.J. (2007). Neoracism toward international students: A critical need for change. About Campus