Race and Ethnicity
Overview
Education abroad can offer you an opportunity to explore your identity. In most cases, your interaction with host nationals will be among the most rewarding aspects of your experience abroad and you may have an opportunity to learn about your ancestral history and culture first-hand. Sometimes, however, your race, ethnicity or other identity anchors may be read or interpreted differently than you are accustomed to in the U.S. or you may find that your racial or ethnic identity is seen in a new way. You may also encounter different cultural norms related to race and minority status, where racism and other forms of discrimination are performed, viewed, and addressed differently than you are used to.
Therefore, it is important for you to understand how cultural differences can impact perceptions of race, ethnicity, and identity in a cross-cultural context. Developing this understanding is an important component of your preparation to study abroad.
We encourage you to discuss these topics with your advisers on campus and previous study abroad program participants and also explore the following resources and insightful stories
UM Resources
UM Diversity – A page outlining events, resources, awards & scholarships, academics & curriculum, and campus units dedicated to celebrating diversity
American Indian Student Services
Central and Southwest Asian Club
China Table (contact amanda.cunningham@umontana.edu)
Resources, Guides, and Success Stories
General Resources
Racial & Ethnic Minority Students Abroad A list of tips and questions for racial and ethnic minority students from Diversity Abroad
ALLABROAD.us is a comprehensive site for students interested in diversity issues abroad. The site also provides specific advice for African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans and Native Americans.
DiversityAbroad.com offers discussion forums, destination guides, student blogs, and a funding directory to assist students of diverse backgrounds.
Diversity Issues in Study Abroad is a collection of Brown University student perspectives about diversity, identity and discrimination abroad.
Resources for Asian-American Students:
Asian American/Pacific Islander Students Abroad - A resource page from the State University of New York
Resources for Black and African American-American Students
Study Abroad Matters: Top 10 Reasons for African American Students to Study Abroad addresses the specific benefits to African American students of studying abroad.
Being Black in an African Country - An article by an ASU student on her experience in Morocco, sharing how she turned a harsh reality into a positive experience
My Very Personal Taste of Racism Abroad - a New York Times essay from an African-American woman who had an eye-opening experience due to a series of troubling racial encounters while studying abroad in Italy
Encounters of Another Color, by Stephanie Griffith, appeared in the New York Times and describes her experience as a black American student in Madrid, Spain.
Resources for LatinX and Hispanic Students:
10 Reasons for Hispanic-American Students to Study Abroad - Article from the Hispanic Network
7 Study Abroad Scholarships for Hispanic Students - GoAbroad Article
My Study Abroad Experience as a First-Generation Mexican-American - Article by International Studies Abroad Today
Resources for Native American Students:
Native American Students Abroad - A resource page from the State University of New York
Native Land - An interactive map to know what indigenous land you are on anywhere in the world.
Resources for Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian Students:
Asian American/Pacific Islander Students Abroad - A resource page from the State University of New York