Racialization in the United States: a Case Study of Chinese Students’ Experiences in a Summer Work Travel Program
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RACIALIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES: A CASE STUDY OF CHINESE STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES IN A SUMMER WORK TRAVEL PROGRAM Jing Jiang A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS May 2015 Committee: Radhika Gajjala, Advisor Lisa K. Hanasono Sue Ellen McComas © 2015 Jing Jiang All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Radhika Gajjala, Advisor This study explored the lived experiences of international students, particularly Chinese students from mainland China, Taiwan, and Malaysia, who participated in the Summer Work Travel Program in a city in the United States. Drawing from the theoretical framework of postcolonial studies, this project situated the international labor flow in historical contexts. This study adopted in-depth interviews, participant observation, and autoethnography to collect data. I interviewed 12 Chinese student workers, 1 supervisor, 2 local Christians, and 3 local workers, and wrote down about 43,000 words of fieldnotes. Employing a grounded theory approach, I identified five major themes from the data: racialization, racism, internalized racism, personal transformation, and religious assimilation. This study revealed that the Chinese students had racial encounters with other ethnic groups, witnessed racism against other ethnic groups, and experienced racism against themselves. They endured pain, pressure and hardships, and harvested friendships and personal growth. Local Christians played an important role in providing practical assistance to the international students and engaging them in cultural exchange. This study also found violations of labor laws and inhumane treatment of the student workers by the employers. In addition, not every employer or sponsor made efforts in creating cultural exchange opportunities for the international student workers, which was required by the federal regulations on the Summer Work Travel Program. Lessons that can be learned from this project, and proposed suggestions to improve the operation of this program are presented at the end of this manuscript. This thesis is dedicated to my parents. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A thesis is a collaborative process and I would like to acknowledge faculty, friends and family members who have contributed to this project in a variety of ways. I thank my committee members, Dr. Radhika Gajjala, Dr. Lisa Hanasono, and Dr. Sue Ellen McComas for their generous support and invaluable feedback. Special thanks to my advisor and chair, Dr. Radhika Gajjala, who has been my great mentor and friend. Without her guidance and encouragement, I would not be where I am today. I also extend my thanks to Dr. Sandra Faulkner, Dr. Clayton Rosati, and Dr. Srinivas Melkote whose classes I had taken laid the foundation for my thesis. I thank the faculty, staff, and graduate students in the School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University for creating a nurturing academic environment. Equally important to this thesis project are research participants, especially the eighteen interviewees who shared their stories with me. I offer my most heartfelt thanks for their involvement in my study. I also thank all the friends I made in the fieldwork who offered insights and provided assistance for my study, as well as numerous international student workers who participated in the Summer Work Travel program. Writing a thesis in a second language is challenging and rewarding. I would like to thank Nancy, John, Sandra, Catherine, Jemetri, and Luda. Special thanks go to my classmate and roommate Zhao Ding, for her encouragement in my thesis writing process and during my graduate studies. Last but certainly not least, I thank my family for their unconditional love and support. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHPATER ONE. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER TWO. LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................... 5 Anti-Chinese Racism in the United States .............................................................. 5 Conceptualization of Race and Prejudice ............................................................... 7 Globalization, Colonization, and Immigration........................................................ 12 International Labor in the United States ................................................................. 16 Postcolonial Scholarship ........................................................................................ 18 CHAPTER THREE. OVERVIEW OF THE SUMMER WORK TRAVEL PROGRAM ... 21 Historical Development ......................................................................................... 21 Statistics ................................................................................................................ 23 Investigations ........................................................................................................ 27 Regulations............................................................................................................ 30 CHAPTER FOUR. METHOD .......................................................................................... 33 A Critical Perspective ............................................................................................ 33 A Grounded Theory Approach ............................................................................... 34 Participant Observation.......................................................................................... 35 In-depth Interview ................................................................................................. 37 IRB review................................................................................................. 54 Recruitment ............................................................................................... 38 Interview guides ......................................................................................... 38 Interview times and places ......................................................................... 39 vii Pseudonyms ............................................................................................... 40 Participants ............................................................................................................ 41 Autoethnography ................................................................................................... 44 Analysis ................................................................................................................ 45 Actual Operation ................................................................................................... 47 CHAPTER FIVE. RACIALIZATION ............................................................................... 50 Lianghui: “It’s amazing! I don’t want to go back anymore.” .................................. 50 Others: Racial Encounters...................................................................................... 54 Indians ....................................................................................................... 54 Turkish people ........................................................................................... 54 White and Black people ............................................................................. 55 Analysis ................................................................................................................ 56 CHAPTER SIX. SUPERIORITY VS. INFERIORITY ...................................................... 58 Lifu: The Inferiority of the Chinese People ............................................................ 58 English learning ......................................................................................... 59 Boring and tiring job as a lifeguard ............................................................ 60 Chunhua: English Learning ................................................................................... 62 Analysis ................................................................................................................ 64 CHAPTER SEVEN. BEING INTERNATIONAL, EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE ..................................................................................................................... 66 Qiuyue: “It’s discrimination.” ................................................................................ 66 “I want fewer hours.” ................................................................................. 66 “We don’t get what we deserve.” ............................................................... 68 viii “I just tell them the good side of everything.” ............................................. 70 “I want them to stay, but I don’t want them to suffer.” ............................... 71 Lifu: Facing Prejudice ........................................................................................... 72 Jiabi: Inhumane Treatment and Invisible Internationals ......................................... 73 Analysis ................................................................................................................ 75 CHAPTER EIGHT. BEING CHINESE, ENCOUNTERING DISCRIMINATION AND STEREOTYPES ............................................................................................................... 78 Zhigui: Endure Discrimination .............................................................................. 78 A long-term plan .......................................................................................