Power dynamics with international students: from the perspective of domestic students in Korean higher education

Practice, problems and power in ‘internationalisation at home’: critical reflections on recent research evidence

“…However, actual contact between the two groups is generally found to be uncommon, unstructured and lacking in meaning (Halualani et al 2004;Halualani 2008) However, while the relationship was positive and rewarding, it was strongly bounded to being an on-campus friendship based around academic support, with the two individuals returning to homophilic social groups when off-campus. Jon (2012) finds that willingness to engage in friendship is mediated by power relationships for Korean home students, with English language and interest in Korean culture being valued attributes in international students. Dunne (2013) posits that his sample of home students used a cost-benefit analysis to juxtapose the effort and predicted anxiety of intercultural contact with rewards in terms of foreign language practice and improved marks.…”

“…More generally, English is seen as an impediment to the effective teaching of the home student majority, while Svensson and Wihlborg (2010) warn about a monocultural globalisation derived from the hegemonic position of English. In a Korean context, Jon (2012) reports that international students that are fluent English speakers are afforded a particular respect by home students due to the language's global status. These students are viewed as a useful resource for language learning and to assist with understanding in classes taught in English, although English proficiency is contradictorily also seen as a marker for a poor work ethic and consideration of others.…”

Recommendations for improving international study programs in South Korea: a literature review

“…This negative feeling appears to be noticeably held among many Korean DPs, who regard Chinese ISs as being uncooperative, impolite, and aloof. This is in conspicuous contrast to more positively held views demonstrated a few years earlier (Jon, 2012). These differences may, of course, result from recent geopolitical changes in the relationship between China and South Korea as well as some unfortunate, highly publicized incidents between Chinese and Korean citizens occurring on Korean soil (Hwang, 2017).…”

“…Historically, Koreans have regarded people from China and Japan as less foreign, both because of shared culture and physical similarities (Jon, 2012). Interestingly, Korean attitudes towards Chinese appear to have taken a turn for the negative in recent years, both with respect to world affairs and ISs (Lee, Jon, & Byun, 2017).…”

“…Recent work has demonstrated that the amount of intercultural interaction can have a direct influence on course continuance (Shahijan, Rezaei, & Amin, 2016). Another study has shown that ISs who exhibit an understanding or appreciation of the Korean language or culture are more likely to gain favor with Korean DPs, likely counteracting some of the negative aspects of isolation (Jon, 2012).…”