Racism and Aggressions: Short-Term Migrant Students’ Experiences in Peer Interaction at Universities

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17624767

Abstract

This research investigates peer racism faced by short-term migrant students in Pakistani universities. Key findings show that these students confront five main challenges: peer stereotyping, social exclusion, psychosocial impacts, coping mechanisms, and institutional weaknesses. Peer stereotyping often leads to adverse academic and social experiences, negatively affecting students’ well-being. Despite challenges, students build resilient ethnic networks for support. Most participants felt disadvantaged by inadequate diversity policies and lack of effective institutional responses. Peer racism was identified as a form of relational racism that harms students’ academic engagement, well-being, and sense of belonging in the short term. The study urges universities to adopt cohesive approaches to diversity, mental wellness, and policy development. Findings highlight the prevalence of macroaggressions and a lack of systemic change, underscoring the need for comprehensive institutional reform.