Indigenous students’ experiences with racial microaggressions in Taiwan / Experiencias de estudiantes indígenas con microagresiones raciales en Taiwán

Abstract

Prior research has demonstrated that Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) experience racial microaggressions in educational settings. This study investigates how racial microaggressions against Indigenous students in K–16 educational settings in Taiwan occur and how they compare to what students experience in the United States and Canada. The research team interviewed 21 college-aged Indigenous students in 2021; participants described their interactions with peers and teachers or faculty, experiences utilizing school resources and perception of learning environments in school (K–12) and on campus. The analysis revealed that Indigenous students experience racial microaggressions at three levels: (1) interpersonal context, i.e., facing jealous accusations in class, hearing racist comments and encountering stereotypes and negative beliefs; (2) anti-Indigenous pedagogical practices, i.e., teachers or faculty misunderstand Indigenous cultures or treat Indigenous students as cultural symbols or spokespersons; and (3) systemic exclusion, i.e., the absence of Indigenous cultures in curricula and academic affairs.