Central Asian Female Graduate Students’ Experiences with Identity Transformation in the United States

Authors

  • Maya Fenty Case Western Reserve University

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to understand whether and how Central Asian female students’ identities change because of their studies in American higher education and cross-cultural encounters. Using an interpretive approach, I interviewed six female students from five countries of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. The study is based on the Reconceptualized Model of Multiple Dimensions of Identity (Abes, Jones, & McEwen, 2007), the Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive Model of Culture Shock (Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001), and the transnational feminist perspective (Grewal & Kaplan, 1994). The findings of the study demonstrate the ambivalent nature of participants’ views on their certain identity dimensions, emphasize how education accelerates the transformation process, and explore the female students’ feelings of disturbance and in-betweenness. The study concludes by suggesting that universities should not view students’ identity change as a pathology, but to understand the sense of in-betweenness and accept this complexity that is still in process.

 

Author Biography

  • Maya Fenty, Case Western Reserve University

    MAYA FENTY, Ph.D., is an Assistant Director in the Department of Student Advancement at Case Western Reserve University. Her major research interests lie in the area of Central Asian area study, identity construction, student success and retention, international and intercultural education. Email: mayafenty21@gmail.com

Published

2022-10-22

How to Cite

Central Asian Female Graduate Students’ Experiences with Identity Transformation in the United States. (2022). Comparative & International Education Series. https://ojed.org/cies/article/view/4836