Decolonizing Study Abroad through the Identities of Latinx Students: A Manifesto to Reclaim Identities and Heritage

This book challenges the common perception of study abroad in Latin America as a White and middle-class colonizer practice and reimagines it to meet the needs of Latinx immigrant/transnational higher education students. It centers Latinx youth inhabiting familial heritage spaces as a pathway to understanding their racialized and colonized identities, and advocates for the rethinking of recruitment strategies, pedagogical experiences, language practices, and community partnerships to include Latino/a, Chicano/a, and Latin American immigrant youth and their families. The book presents a new conceptualization of Latinx immigrant students studying abroad as opportunities for reclaiming heritage, culture, histories, and language, exploring a sense of identity and obligation to Latin communities, and healing from the effects of Whiteness and ethnocentrism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 116 pages
Publication date: 06 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book challenges the prevailing perception of study abroad in Latin America as a predominantly White and middle-class colonizer practice and reimagines it to better serve the needs of Latinx immigrant/transnational higher education students. At its core, the book centers Latinx youth who inhabit familial heritage spaces as a means of gaining a deeper understanding of their racialized and colonized identities. By reframing study abroad for Latinx youth, the book proposes that it can serve as a powerful tool for them to reclaim, negotiate, and strengthen their own immigrant/Latino/a/Chicano/a and other identities.

The text is grounded in a theoretical framework that draws from decolonial methods in education and Critical Race Theory, and is supported by rich descriptive interviews and participant observations spanning a combined 26 years of experience leading educational trips to Latin America. The authors analyze, reflect, and critique the field of study abroad to advocate for the rethinking of recruitment strategies, pedagogical experiences, language practices, and community partnerships that actively include Latino/a, Chicano/a, and Latin American immigrant youth and their families from the outset.

Through their analysis, the authors present a novel conceptualization of Latinx immigrant students studying abroad as engaging opportunities for reclaiming heritage, culture, histories, and languages. They explore how these experiences can contribute to a sense of identity and obligation to Latin communities, as well as provide healing from the effects of Whiteness and ethnocentrism, which are often amplified outside the continental United States.

By shifting the gaze of the entire field toward new diversities, this book showcases examples of how educational trips abroad can be re-envisioned to suit the unique needs of ethnically minoritized students in the United States. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, educators, and education practitioners who are committed to promoting inclusive and equitable educational opportunities for all students.

Weight: 274g
Dimension: 142 x 224 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032335414