Written by Julia Bohlmann (University of Glasgow)
I came to the UK as an international student, but for reasons I wish to explore here this label was rarely applied to me. After studying at two research intensive universities in Scotland, I worked as learning adviser for international students and have since moved into staff development. Working with international students made me realise my own privilege as a white European who ‘passed’ as similar enough not to be burdened with the negative connotations of being labelled international.
As a German student, my ideas were always well-received. I even recall my dissertation supervisor saying ‘we want more students from your background.’ The comment hinted at the strong theoretical grounding a German humanities degree afforded. However, looking back I wonder whether my cultural and racial proximity made me appear just similar enough to speak with confidence and, crucially, to be taken seriously. The comment acknowledged my identity as enabler rather than ‘a barrier to be broken down.’
When I recently researched the academic identity development of international students in Scotland, I started to wonder about the impact of racialisation (or absence of it) on this process. The students I interviewed came from very different backgrounds but all – bar one – were students of colour. While not immediately noticeable during the interview process, when I later analysed the transcripts, I realised that the only white student (Katherine from Canada) spoke about her academic journey in a distinctly self-assured manner. One key feature of her narrative was the affinity she felt with the people around her and the ease with which she made new connections. Instead of difference, Katherine embodied similarity and spoke without hesitation about shared cultural references and experiences, including a Scottish relative she was keen to find out more about. She was comfortable in her own skin and her effortless confidence spilled out into the way she approached others:
‘I am someone who’s very talkative, especially in class. You know, I get there about five minutes earlier and just kind of see how people’s weekends are.’
In contrast, the international students of colour I interviewed appeared less self-assured and felt even alienated at times. One example comes from Amata, a Nigerian student, who had already studied in other parts of the UK but was taken aback by the lack of racial diversity in Scotland:
‘It’s hard when a lot of the spaces are not like quite diverse. So when you do go there, … like spaces for creativity, I wouldn’t say you feel comfortable as a person of colour.’
Likewise, Aziza, a Muslim student from Egypt, perceived herself as distinctly different when she walked across campus even though Glasgow as a city has a large Muslim community:
‘I feel like a stranger. I always feel like walking stranger … [who] just don’t look right.’
Using Critical Race Theory (CRT) and digital storytelling, Kim and Gezeroğlu (2023) made sense of their own journeys as international students, highlighting how stringent visa and enrolling procedures, rigid academic language rules and micro-aggressive behaviours fuel a process of othering that is akin to racialisation and lead to feelings of alienation. This is particularly acute for international students of colour, who may feel hyper-visible and exposed on our university campuses. Naturally, this kind of unwanted exposure can undermine confidence. I certainly noticed that the international students of colour I spoke to expressed confidence not as a given, but as something acquired through navigating barriers and overcoming the challenges of an unfamiliar environment. On the other hand, white international students, like myself and Katherine, seem to enjoy the privilege of (unearned) confidence at the outset of our academic journeys, giving us a head start and allowing us to interact with a new educational environment from a place of almost ‘passing’ as home students.
All names have been changed
Author Bio:
Julia Bohlmann is a Lecturer in Academic Development at the University of Glasgow where she convenes the course ‘Intercultural Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.’ She leads the project ‘Measuring the International Relevance of University of Glasgow Curricula’ and has co-led the Decolonising the Curriculum Community of Practice and Pluriversity Podcast.
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dr-julia-bohlmann-fhea-sf-ret-978452b4