As African international students leave home to study in North Europe & North America, they can experience being part of a minority group for the first time. Overview When students participate in ethnically non-diverse environments, they might feel that they stand out from the rest of the group, thus feeling uncomfortable, self-aware, or isolated. Despite the commitment of most universities of Northern Europe and North America to establish an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment, there might still be a gap between university staff understandings, as well as their racial literacy, and the lived realities of international Black and Minority Ethnic students (Ashad, 2019). For instance, African international students might experience microaggressions in their new environment, which can increase the feelings of discomfort that go with partaking in non-diverse spaces. Microaggression is a term that describes brief everyday verbal or behavioural remarks or behaviours, whether deliberate or accidental, that convey hostile, disrespectful, or biased slights towards any group, particularly culturally oppressed communities. As a student at institutions in Northern Europe or North America, there are many resources and staff who are there to listen and act on your experiences, thus it’s important to communicate how you feel to others. Theoretical perspectives Theoretical perspectives The term microaggression describes subtle, frequently automatic, and non-verbal exchanges which are put-downs (Sue et al., 2007). Racial microaggressions have also been described as subtle insults (verbal, nonverbal, and/or visual) directed toward marginalised groups, often done automatically or inadvertently. Microaggressions can be part of everyday interactions that transmit derogatory messages to marginalised people because they are members of a racial minority group. These exchanges can be so common in everyday discussions and encounters that they are frequently overlooked and brushed over as innocent and trivial. Microaggressions, however, are damaging to marginalised people because they may hinder their performance in a wide range of circumstances by diminishing their psychological wellbeing. References Sue, D. W. , Capodilupo, C. M. , Torino, G. C. , Bucceri, J. M. , Holder, A. M. , Nadal, K. L. & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life. American Psychologist, 62 (4), 271-286. Washington, E. F., Birch, A. H., & Roberts, L. M. (2020). When and how to respond to microaggressions. Harvard Business Review. Context for scholars Prior to moving abroad to study, being a part of a minority group can be an unfamiliar experience for many Mastercard Foundation scholars. This process of acquiring a minority identity can be connected to a long history of discrimination and othering that transpires within white spaces, as well as the expression of aversive racism that can best be described as microaggressions. Although this might be challenging, it is important to be able to speak up, recognise aversive racism when it takes place, and communicate your feelings and experiences to others. At the same time, as a Mastercard Foundation scholar you can actively participate in creating space for diversity by embodying difference confidently, staying true to your experiences, thoughts, and feelings, offering your unique perspective on issues around diversity and speaking up against injustice. Practical suggestions There are many ways to respond to microaggressions according to Washington and her colleagues (2020): Let it go. A popular approach to microaggressions is to avoid responding to insulting comments and remarks as this can be an emotionally taxing process. However, silence can also have an emotional cost, as you can be left wondering what happened and why, while questioning your emotions and your right to feel upset Respond immediately. This allows the microaggression to be acknowledged and its consequences addressed. Immediacy is crucial when it comes to addressing poor conduct. However, this strategy can also be risky as others might get defensive, thus making the recipient of the microaggression feel that they "lost control," that they are being unreasonably sensitive or that they are a stereotypical ‘’angry Black person’’. Respond later. A different response might be to approach the person privately afterwards to explain why the microaggression was hurtful. The risk here lies in the time that has lapsed. A follow-up discussion entails assisting the individual who committed the microaggression to first remember it and then understand its significance. Ella Washington and her colleagues (2020) recommend the following framework for determining which course is best for you: Discern. Determine how much you are prepared to invest in correcting the microaggression. Do not feel obligated to respond to every occurrence; instead, feel empowered to do so when you decide you should. Consider: The significance of the problem and of the relationship. Avoidance is the wrong strategy if either or both are essential to you. Express your feelings while asserting yourself in a way that acknowledges your concern about the situation. Your feelings. Microaggressions might drive you to question the validity of your feelings. Allow yourself to feel these emotions, whether they are anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, confusion, shame, exhaustion, or something else. Any feeling is valid and should be considered while determining if and how you should respond. When dealing with more intense negative emotions like anger, it is generally preferable to address the issue later. If you are confused, an immediate response may be better. How you want to be viewed now and in the future. Both speaking up and remaining silent come with their own consequences. Disarm. One reason we avoid discussing race is that it makes people defensive. Explain that while the topic may be difficult for them, what they just said or did is not easy for you. Defy. Ask the person who committed the microaggression to clarify their speech or conduct. Use a question, such as "How do you mean that?" This allows people to check in with themselves while they process what transpired. It also allows you to better assess the individual's motivation. Decide. You have power over what this experience means for your life—what you take from the interaction and what it takes from you. Mastercard foundation scholars’ experiences Listen to the Scholars’ experiences: You Belong! Find your community We share our experiences with facing microaggression and how scholars navigate through processing it by going through three phases of “shock-denial; lingering thoughts; and lastly response”. Here we highlight keys actions that assisted us in addressing microaggression as it happens and fitting in by finding communities that understand/share your experiences. It’s odd to think that if I missed a lecture, the lecturer would notice because simply there’s no other black person in the room. That’s affected how I see myself, and it’s been tiring. Mastercard scholar Useful links Race equality RACE.ED Center for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland Student life and support at Edinburgh The unfinished business of colonialism | The University of Edinburgh This article was published on 2024-06-24
