Cyber-racism and higher education minority students in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Abstract

Racism is embedded in New Zealand society and expanded beyond physical spaces to the online realm. The widespread use of social media, especially among young people, and the escalation of race-related issues online puts minority students at risk of increased exposure to racism in their virtual spaces. Whilst the existence of cyber-racism has been established, the experiences of higher education minority students of racism on social media in New Zealand are not well understood. Therefore, this study explores twenty-five ethnically diverse higher education students’ experiences of cyber-racism and its influence on their emotions, social practices, learning, and coping strategies. This study was informed by Critical Race Theory and drawing on Greer et al. (2015) and Passmore and Mandryk (2020) coping frameworks. A qualitative approach was chosen using the critical incident to unpack cyber-racism experiences through an online interview and survey to assess how students understand, make sense of, and manage racism online. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data collected from the participants. Students demonstrated a range of coping strategies classified as approach and avoid strategies to navigate the influence of cyber-racism on their emotions, social practices, and learning. Focus only on coping strategies without addressing racism through education; students can be left over-exposed to risks online. Education should consider integrating ethical attitudes in racial literacy and digital citizenship curriculum to prepare anti-racist digital citizens for a better future.