It Is Not My Fault: Exploring Experiences and Perceptions of Racism Among International Students of Color During COVID-19

Using neoracism (Lee & Rice, 2007) as a theoretical framework, this study explored international students' experiences, challenges, and perceptions of racism and racial discrimination during COVID-19 in the U.S. By conducting three virtual focus group interviews with 18 international students in total, we identified three key themes that encapsulated participants' challenges and experiences of perceived racism: perceptions of racism-explicit discrimination and fear of threats, feelings of being unwelcome and unsafe, and two faces of quarantine-navigating tensions of relief and isolation. Implications for research and practice to support international students are discussed.

Automated summary

Using neoracism as a theoretical framework, this study examined international students' experiences of racism and racial discrimination during COVID-19 in the U.S. Through virtual focus group interviews, three key themes were identified: explicit discrimination and fear of threats, feelings of being unwelcome and unsafe, and the tensions between relief and isolation during quarantine. Implications for supporting international students were discussed.