CIES Secretariat Florida International University 312 ZEB Miami, FL 33199
Number
151
Guest Editor: Dr. Robert V. Farrell, Associate Profesor, C&I, FIU
Increasing diversity in education abroad: A purposive tool for ethnically homogenous societies
Katrina R. Hutchison, PhD Candidate
University of Kentucky, Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation, Higher Education
Many U.S. universities have begun to embrace the notion of increasing ethnic diversity in education abroad. The purpose of this article is to illuminate two important issues in this regard: 1) the important role that good Samaritans play for first time international travelers and, 2) the need for African American presence in fairly homogenous societies. I address these points from my own experiences. Prior to entering my PhD program in Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation at the University of Kentucky in 2003, I had not traveled outside of the United States. Since then, I have participated in educational study abroad programs and research in parts of Finland, Poland, Holland, Canada, and Ghana. I am an African American woman from a small southern town traveling internationally for the first time in 2005.
Researchers suggest that one of the many barriers which African Americans face toward education abroad is learning how to travel while “Black” to fairly ethnically homogenous societies. For instance, a few of my college educated friends were intrigued by questions about how race would play out in my travels to a Scandinavian country that has stereotypical images of its share of skin heads and neo-Nazis fanatics. Nonetheless, I have long held a commitment to the international dimensions of education. I made my decision to attend the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland by reconciling a few facts: First, African Americans have been traveling the globe for centuries; albeit, we have been excluded from international exchanges in the educator sector in the not so distant past. Second, I surmise that women and girls’ safety is a universal concern. Third, most importantly I sought to gain a diverse and international perspective while pursuing my doctoral degree.
Please let me share a personal story about my experiences in Finland. I traveled to the University of Jyvaskyla by myself. I did not own a cell phone at the time, especially not one that could function in Europe. From the capital city of Helsinki to the central city of Jyvaskyla, I traveled by bus. For hours during the ride, I listened to Finnish conversation with no one to talk with. I knew no Finnish language. However, a land that is quiet and peaceful is familiar to me, and I enjoyed the rolling hills and prairies. Several hours later, I arrived to the Jyvaskyla’s depot, where I was to use the public telephone to inform the designated person of my arrival. However, the public telephone stations were closed for the evening. I looked around, and few people were strolling. The town was nearly deserted. What was I to do? So, I sat down on a street bench. I said to myself, “God you must figure this one out for me, because I do not know what to do.” Then one of the ladies from the bus ride who had initially begun to walk up the street instead gave my presence a second thought. She turned and asked if I needed any help. I told her about my dilemma. She handed me her cell phone. I did not expect her kindness. From this encounter and others, I learned that chance encounters can breakdown institutional barriers that reinforce negative stereotypes.
Overall, my Finnish experiences reveal that Finland’s socialist background and fairly homogenous society pose unique challenges for the teaching and learning environment. While at the University of Jyvaskyla, I enrolled in the Human Science course, Diversity and Multicultural Leadership with students from seven other countries (Holland, France, Latvia, Denmark, Finland, Canada, Brazil, and U.S.). We debated intersections of social, political, and economic power relations across borders. For example, on the one hand Finnish students often remarked about their citizens’ ill preparedness and frustration with adapting to an increase in immigrant and refugee populations. On the other hand, the African nationals studying at Jyvaskyla (who became my international hosts) often were reluctant to comment about the narrow approach regarding issues of diversity in the teaching and learning processes. Furthermore prior to meeting me, most of these students had never met an African American, and my presence remained as an oddity. The American Council on Educational Internationalization Laboratory (2007) argues that a serious challenge for many institutions of higher education is the lack of intellectual diversity in the classroom where multiplicities of ideas go largely ignored. Under such circumstances, teachers may lack a broad understanding of the importance of multiculturalism and diversity to accommodate the changing needs of shifting international student populations. Consequentially, many people’s ideological beliefs, particularly about race, remain unchallenged in terms of viewpoints and perspectives about human existence.
There exists an imperative on the part of universities to advance the teaching and learning dynamics to accommodate the changing needs of growing international and diverse student populations. I challenge U.S. universities to broaden their international reach by changing the face of America in terms of education abroad and cultural exchanges as a means to address international and diversity challenges in the 21st century. Since study abroad may often provide many students with their first opportunity to travel internationally, I believe that preparing for human kindness is the best attitude students can take in order to make their first international journey a true success. My first international experience, visiting Finland may seem uncanny for an African American student. However, it has turned out to be one of the most invaluable experiences of my life. I support the belief that the exchange of diverse ideas and people encourages students to explore ways in which to combat negative stereotypes and bridge human relations. Increasing diversity in study abroad programs allows students to share histories which serve to foster human value, integrity, and self-worth.
. http://international.uiowa.edu/
about/documents/UI-ACE-Report.pdf
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