Labeled individuals: The influence of stereotypes on communication between American and Non-American students

Abstract

Skin shades, gender, country of origin, accents, and even our names make a big difference in how we are perceived, welcomed, beaten up, appreciated, or degraded. All of us might have been carrying a scar of being labeled or stereotyped unfairly at some point in our life, and some of us may have more scars and cuts. This paper focuses on the negative stereotypic images specifically between American and non-American students. It grows out of my research and personal experiences during my M.A studies at Wichita State as an international student.