Turning a mirror into a window: A duoethnographic study of international student identity

Abstract

AbstractThis duoethnographical study explores the experiences of the two authors, Joanna and Sarah, as international students in the United States that do not quite fully fit in any of the categories described in research literature. Using a Borderland theoretical approach, the authors explore the in‐between spaces at the intersections of their identities in order to understand their complex experiences as white/wwwhite‐passing international doctoral students in the United States. Applying the Borderland approach to both intersectional and social identity frameworks, this chapter seeks to highlight the intricacies involved in the identity development of international students, especially when group membership is fluid. The results of this duoethnography challenge traditional notions of intersectionality of identity and uncover a dissonance in the identities of both authors.