International Students Study in America - Essay Example

English, Essay Topic: Research Paper about International Study in America Introduction History cannot be reversed; it can be reshaped. The arguments that will follow take the stand that black students and also students belonging to different ethnic groups in America should not think that they are the victims of destiny; now time is on their side and they should use the available opportunities and be the creators of destiny. The wise saying goes - to be forearmed is to be forewarned. The students will have to intellectually arm (equip) themselves. The valuable lessons that the black students should learn from American history is that they should remain ever vigilant to protect their constitutionally guaranteed rights, concentrate more on individual perfection and at the same time continue to fight for their rights as per democratic principles. The salient features of the story, “How It Feels to be Colored Me,” reveal broadly what must have been transpired in the mind of Hurston, when she was discriminated by the society on account of the color of her skin. In her childhood in Eatonville, Florida, she had no color problems. She sang, danced in the streets and greeted neighbors like any other child, and mingled freely without any feelings of alienation. She had no imagination about the magnitude of differences that suddenly cropped up when she lost her mother, when she was just thirteen and left home for attending a boarding school in Jacksonville. The transformation of her being as “colored” was immediate. Racism is a life-long insult to the dignity of the blacks and it requires immense courage to challenge it. The important aspect of the story is the period to which it belonged, that was challenging to the life and existence of blacks. It was published in “The World Tomorrow,” in the May 1928’s edition. The ideology of racial segregation dominated the social and cultural life of America. Challenge to black pride prevailed in every segment. In such a turbulent era, Hurston’s pen did the job of presenting before the public a stinging message to challenge the societal mindset. In the final analysis of the issues related to colored people Hurston concludes by asserting that “the Great Stuffer of Bags, the Creator, may have fashioned people in this way from the very beginning” (Hurston). The Colored Issue Today in Its Broad Perspective Read this revealing passage: “Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the granddaughter of slaves. It fails to register depression with me. Slavery is sixty years in the past. The operation was successful and the patient is doing well, thank you. The terrible struggle that made me an American out of a potential slave said "On the line!” The Reconstruction said "Get set!” and the generation before said "Go!” I am off to a flying start and I must not halt in the stretch to look behind and weep” ( Hurston). For colored people of any genre, and for the student population in particular, the above summing up, should serve as the guiding principle for any contingencies. An international student in the social circumstances prevailing in America today lives in a favorable time, as compared to the year 1928. The materialistic civilization, the internet revolution and globalization have contributed a lot to dilute the impact of discrimination on the basis of color. At the level of the individual some people may still deal with reservations towards the colored people for their own reasons. But legally, the colored students are fully protected and have legal remedies if racial bias is practiced against them. View the colored issue from the spiritual angle. The solution becomes much easier. Hurston argues, “I have no separate feeling about being an American citizen and colored. I am merely a fragment of the Great Soul that surges within the boundaries. My country, right or wrong” (Hurston). The intensity of the anguish for discrimination on the basis of color will vary when the issue is viewed from the political, social, and religious and finally the legal angles. From the political angle, it is the toughest, from the social angle, the solution seems challenging, from the religious angle, confusing, and from the legal angle it leads to varied arguments and solutions as per interpretations accepted by the administrators of justice. How International Students Should Gear Up to Face and Tackle the Problem Keep a dignified demeanor about your individuality. Respect the authority and maintain the posture that you are under nobody and nobody is under you. Rather than talking about racial inequality, talk about economic inequality, the necessity to create more educational facilities for the black children and advocate thoroughly the greatness of the African heritage. Even while discussing the issue of practice of slavery that existed in the worst form in America, give it the labor movement angle and argue how labor was exploited. The root cause of slavery was poverty, lack of education and unemployment. No use only complaining about the malpractices. Fight against them. The torch fighting against slavery and practice of racism in any form has been passed on to the new combustible generation. It now depends what they do with what others have left for them and from where they have left. The Message for the Colored People and the Finer Aspects of the Story that Are Worthy of Emulation by the International Students Enter and present yourself in any zone, not with apology but with confidence. Things have changed much, and drastically too, since Hurston wrote the story. Political level changes are important for societal changes. The person, who has undergone the agonies related to the color, occupies the seat of President of America today. The votaries of racism some decades ago would never have thought that America would have African American as the President, in the not too distant future. In her essay, “On Zora Neale Hurston's Essay "How It Feels to Be Colored Me…” ‘A Girl Who No Longer Exists’ writes, “Hurston’s attitude towards herself is positive unlike many essays written at the time by African Americans, which tended to incorporate complaints instead of celebration”(“A Girl Who No Longer Exists”). Even though Hurston was in a position of disadvantage, as compared to the whites with whom she interacted at different places and situations, she had no complexes about her heritage or color; rather she was proud of it. She was confident about her abilities and demanded attention. This is the important lesson for the international students that study in America. With their application, hard work and being studious, they need to set example to others, especially to the white students that if given opportunity, they have the ability to excel and are unbeatable. The Need Is for Speed Understand certain basics, by transcending the mental barrier related to color. What matters is the speed with which you adapt to the changed circumstances that have provided ample opportunities to the black students. Treat any disadvantage as an individual challenge. For example, a short-statured individual born into the white community has the disadvantage of height. He may be unsuitable for a military assignment, but the challenge does not end there. He may turn out to be a brilliant Professor, a famous writer, an excellent Engineer, etc. Remove the imaginary negativities related to black color as a race, and treat color as your individual asset, be proud of it, and resolutely challenge the vicissitudes of life. Hurston precisely did the same and the author argues about her personal disposition, “…. She sees no shame in asserting her position in society because she is not afraid to be different; she is special and she knows it. Hurston has no desire to be associated with a race because she does not want to detract attention from herself. In fact, she seeks just the opposite; she hopes to attract as much attention as possible” (“A Girl Who No Longer Exists”). The Impartial Approach to the Issue — Does Vindictive Attitude Tender the Permanent Solution to the Issue? The mental barriers between the whites and blacks are difficult to cross, but vindictive approach to the issue can never lead to a permanent solution. Of all the areas, atmosphere in the educational institutions needs to be peaceful, because they are the learning centers. Majority of the writers of history being whites, what they have recorded in the texts would not be free from bias. For example, the use of words like ‘slavery’ ‘generation of the slaves,’ is commonplace in their writings. In the era of colonization, it all started with the economic exploitation of the local Indian population, territories were forcibly conquered, and the slave trade from Africa got a shot in the arm to fulfill the demand for labor in the giant plantations. If black historians were to record the history of that period, they could have used the words like, ‘exploiters,’ ‘invaders’ ‘criminals’ (for the white settlers resorted to barbaric acts of violence) to describe the white race. But all this is part of history now. The subject of history will have to be studied, and both the white and the black students will have to take their lessons and draw conclusions. The whites have committed serious, unpardonable crimes against the blacks. That is the naked truth. But vindictiveness by the blacks and cultivating revengeful attitude is not the solution. Race in Education Cliques operate in every area, be it politics, religion, social service etc. The field of education is not exempt from it. Black students think they are marginalized by the ‘white cliques’ at universities. Bias against those names not sounding white can affect the tally of marks, and even a difference of a few marks, can affect the desired career goals of the blacks. This complaint has emanated by a responsible body like National Union of Students and therefore, merits further discussion. Some of the measures suggested to rectify the alleged serious anomalies are: Run summer schools for black science students. “University coursework should be marked anonymously to deal with concerns that potential bias against a "foreign-sounding name" can cost students marks” (“Race in Education”). “Universities to minimize "Eurocentric bias" when drawing up curriculums.” This is critical, not only to demonstrate to black students that their learning reflects their own experience but to promote understanding among their white peers" (“Race in Education”). Practicing anonymity in letter and spirit in every area is not feasible. Standard practice is in vogue in many universities to assess examination papers anonymously to protect the students against bias relating to sex, race or previous identification about a candidate. But NUS wants the measures to be tightened further to cover all assessment procedures, including coursework. NUS relents on the point that every form of assessment cannot be anonymous, like oral submissions, cultural presentations but if a complaint of bias is received, procedures should be evolved to get the work reassessed by a different authority. Report on “Race for Equality” The above report is based on a survey of 900 students with African, Asian and Caribbean backgrounds. One basic factor needs to be remembered by all the international students in America, that it is unreasonable to compare the conditions in their home country with the one obtaining in America. The psychological barrier between the local population and others is bound to be there. At the individual level the same can be tolerated. But it is the duty of the policy makers that the areas of tension need to be sorted with great understanding. The report of the survey does indicate areas of bias, but it is not that grim. According to the survey most of the students gave a clean chit to their institutions, as for racial bias. Only 23% opined that “cliques” do exist in their universities and 7% termed them as racist. The major objections related to the historical perspective that the courses did not reflect the non-white viewpoints and were partisan that favored the whites. Some black students believed that they are being selectively victimized and are exclusively excluded from Russell Group of leading universities as racism is practiced in the application process that resulted in scarcity of black students in most prestigious institutions. In universities like Cambridge and Oxford, the percentages of black students who secured top grades were 9.6% as compared to 23% whites. The report says: "while widening participation efforts in the last few decades has been successful, these need to extend beyond simply increasing the quantity of students accessing [higher education] towards ensuring that black students are also able to access quality institutions" (“Race in Education”). Such complaints must be examined on top priority basis. I again emphasize the necessity for eternal vigilance. The international students, (blacks and Asian students included) must form a “Watchdog Committee” at every educational institution, and the same should be recognized by the Management, for the purpose of consultations and negotiations. Periodical interaction with such a Committee is desirable. The issues outside the purview of the College Management may be referred to an apex body at the State level and further at the Federal level. Such committees need to be supported by a Legal Counseling Cell, constituted specifically for the purpose with Government representation. With such arrangements, the aggrieved international students will have something to look forward to, as they are at a disadvantageous position to fight injustice and bias, on individual basis. The likelihood of complaints being fairly dealt with is more with institutional arrangement. A time-frame also must be drawn up to deal with different types of complaints. The apprehensions of the students for lodging the complaint on individual basis are real. One student said: "it's staff against you, and your degree is on the line, so you don't feel like doing anything further that would rock the boat, especially when the person is responsible for marking your work and arranging your placements" (“Race in Education”). Elaborating the issue Christina Schmidt argues, “my students' interest and involvement in the class also revealed to me just how much need there is to talk about differences in cultural identity and their political, literary, and social consequences. Students are not only confronted with sometimes conflicting takes on cultural identity in the classroom, which is why they need the tools to think critically and engage actively with questions of identity, color, and cultural difference. Teaching this class has taught me how important open-minded, direct conversations about these controversial issues are: there is no way not to be involved in them, so why not be at least aware of what is going on” (Schmidt). So, the solution is possible through dialogues on an ongoing basis. Conclusion In the light of the above discussion, notwithstanding the fact that bias bordering racism exists in the educational institutions, the platform for such a conflict is the process of reconciliation. In many institutions, the ethos of the education system may be impartial and no ethnic groups should have any problems in such institutions. Many black students today enjoy rich experiences. The concept of race was invented by the colonial powers and the hard division of humankind into whites and blacks was done for supporting the vested inters of such powers. Economic and territorial aggrandizement were the key issues. Every effort was made by the white politicians and the connected powers to destroy, stereotype and marginalize the dark skinned people and they were labeled as inferior people. Even the European Church supported such views. One has to admit this naked truth if one goes through the pages of American history. They were always given the inferior rank. But generally speaking bias and favoritism are parts of life. Some of the white students may feel discriminated. The son of a poor white may be discriminated as compared to the son of a rich white. The reasons for discrimination against blacks are historical, but history is on the corrective course and this augurs well for the black students and other international students of different ethnic groups. Race-based experiences of blacks and whites need to be shared from a common platform and properly reasoned arguments must be encouraged. There is no point to cherry pick allegations of bias and create the conflict-zones. Such approach will vitiate harmony in the campus. Lines of division do not augur well for social harmony. For life within the campus also affects life outside the campus. The ship of equality has to sail and it is possible to reach the desired shore with efforts in intellectual, political, social and economic fronts. Works Cited Hurston, Zora Neale. How It Feels to Be Colored Me. n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. “A Girl Who No Longer Exists.” On Zora Neale Hurston's Essay "How it Feels to Be Colored Me”. n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. “Race in Education.” The Observer. Saturday, 21 May 2011. Web. 20 July 2012. Schmidt, Christina. Identity in the Classroom: Teaching Voices from the Gaps. 18 June 2009. Web. 20 July 2012. Read More