Erin Albee

University Honors with Honors in Communication Studies

Major: Communication Studies Minor: French

Supervisor: Kelli L. Fellows, Communication Studies

Culture Clash? A Qualitative Analysis of Asian and European International Students Social Assimilation in a U.S. Collegiate Host Environment

The purpose of the current study is to explore Asian and European international students’ assimilation patterns in a U.S. host collegiate environment. Through qualitative interviews, personal experiences and perceptions were obtained. The study expands on previous scholarship concerning international students by illuminating some disparity and some resemblance between the Asian and European coping methods while attempting to communicate effectively in a U.S. host collegiate setting. Four themes arose in the study which affected the development of how international students discovered and communicated their identities: 1) language barrier, 2) socializing and forming friendships, 3) classroom setting, and 4) interacting with strangers. These categories revealed high values placed on the concepts of identity and self. The study is grounded in social identity theory to gain a deeper understanding of the intra- and interpersonal communication strategies international students employ while in their host cultures.