Impacts of Microaggressions and Neo-Racism on International Students' Sense of Belonging - JCAPS Vo.l. 5 Issue 2

This study explored international student sense of belonging within three state universities in New England and found a concurrent theme of microaggressions and neo-racism on their campuses that has affected their sense of belonging. Despite trends in the international higher education literature that have historically investigated ways to improve the academic experiences and engagement of international students, the findings indicate less attention has been paid to the sense of belonging felt by these students, particularly how microaggressions and neo-racism affect their sense of belonging. Microaggressions, or subtle verbal or nonverbal insults directed towards people of color, often unconsciously (Solorzano et al., 2000), were a common experience of international student participants and frequently mentioned in communications with faculty, domestic students, and staff participants. Suggestions for best practices in fostering international student sense of belonging for higher education professionals and practitioners are also discussed.