Contextualized Consciousness: The Contribution of Study Abroad to Self-Understandings of Black Male Student Travelers

While the benefits of study abroad travel are touted throughout international education literature, many highlighted travelers are White, middle-class women. The unique needs of and benefits experienced by underrepresented travelers must be explored. The authors present the following themes uncovered from the reflections of eight Black male students who studied internationally: the interconnectivity of race and gender; the importance of context for self-understanding; and the value of collective reflection. These themes illustrate specific ways in which study abroad travel contributes to Black males’ enhanced self-understandings, a characteristic which has been linked to more general academic and professional benefits. As such, the authors argue international education’s potential to be a valuable, high-impact practice for Black men.