This paper aims to examine how South Asian international students conceptualize their belonging in US higher education. As these learners increasingly enter colleges and universities, exploring their educational experiences is necessary for constructing campuses that amplify their belonging.
The authors used practitioner methods to facilitate an inquiry community in which South Asian international students explored their on-campus belonging through diverse activities (e.g. discussions, writing). They drew on critical race theory and studies of belonging to analyze participants’ sense-making.
This paper highlights three findings related to participants’ conceptualizations of their belonging: navigating majoritarian stories, uncertainty around institutional supports and identifying hopeful pathways.
This paper offers implications for how university leaders can construct more inclusive campuses for South Asian international students.
