Shruti C. Nadkarni , Michelle R. Raitman , Seth J. Schwartz , Saba Safdar
{"title":"Immigrant blaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Canadian American study","authors":"Shruti C. Nadkarni , Michelle R. Raitman , Seth J. Schwartz , Saba Safdar","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted our society - economically, politically, and interpersonally. The Asian community, in particular, faced severe xenophobia globally, with blame often unfairly attributed to them for the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study focuses on factors associated with increased blame toward Asian immigrants by host nationals in the United States and Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of a research project on intergroup relations, data were collected from 233 native-born Americans and 218 native-born Canadians. Multiple regression analyses indicated that national identity and country of residence together explained seven percent of the variability in blaming Asian immigrants for the pandemic. Higher national identity was related to lower blaming of Asian immigrants. Conservative sociopolitical views were also associated with increased blaming. Additionally, we found a moderating effect of COVID-related worry on the relationship between country of residence and blaming Asian immigrants for the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that the relationship between the country of residence of the participants and the blame they place on Asian immigrants was influenced by their worry about the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings could be valuable in shaping public health communication strategies in future health crises, particularly in terms of ways to address and mitigate discriminatory discourse against minorities and immigrants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102280"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ariane Virgona , Matthew B. Ruby , Emiko S. Kashima
{"title":"Flexibly navigating cultural diversity: How polycultural identity facilitates a meaningful and rich life","authors":"Ariane Virgona , Matthew B. Ruby , Emiko S. Kashima","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Super-diverse societies, like Australia, offer individuals frequent opportunities to engage with cultural elements from a variety of sources in everyday life. While previous research suggests that a polycultural identity—the integration and blending of multiple diverse cultural elements into the self—is associated with positive personal and intercultural outcomes, the mechanisms underlying these benefits remain unclear. We theorised that polycultural identity functions as an adaptive response to super-diversity, emerging among individuals who demonstrate flexibility in perspective-taking, tolerance for contradiction, and a desire to broaden the self through social interactions. Data from a diverse Australian sample recruited via Prolific (<em>N</em> = 483) supported a path model in which polycultural identity mediated the relationship between two malleability-related variables and two well-being outcomes: <em>flourishing</em> and a <em>psychologically rich life</em>. This pattern suggests that polycultural identity may indeed represent a form of positive adaptation to diversity. We also examined links between polycultural identity and aspects of the self, specifically, <em>true self, self-consistency, self-concept clarity,</em> and <em>personal identity strength</em>. The findings indicate that polycultural identity may prioritise enhanced self-understanding and personal agency over a stable, clearly defined, and immutable sense of self. These results offer novel insights into the nature of polycultural identity as a potentially adaptive resource in environments that demand psychological flexibility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102279"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Familiar yet distant: Cultural proximity and the role of social media in the acculturation of Malaysian-Chinese students in China","authors":"Liang He, Yuxin Fei","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the acculturation experience of Malaysian-Chinese students in China through the lens of cultural proximity, with a specific focus on their social media practices. Based on semi-structured interviews with 17 Malaysian-Chinese international students, the study reveals a core finding: while cultural proximity facilitated daily adaptation, it did not translate into deep intercultural integration. Instead, most students adopted a separation strategy, maintaining a dual-set of social media use that reflects their divided social circles. Meanwhile, language proficiency also showed a limited effect, supporting only functional adjustment without fostering meaningful interaction with the locals. Social media proved instrumental for pre- and post-arrival preparation, academic support and mental well-being, yet its effectiveness also remained at a surface level, offering little help in expanding host-country social circles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102304"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145220729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Benjamin H. Nam , Alexander Scott English , Yuanyuan Liu
{"title":"Refining the myth of brain drain and gain and transnational academic capital mobility: A cross-cultural ethnography of global talent scholars in sino-foreign relations","authors":"Benjamin H. Nam , Alexander Scott English , Yuanyuan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a cross-cultural ethnographic account of global talent scholars’ (GTSs) long-term international faculty member (IFM) experiences in Chinese higher education institutions (HEIs). The study used field notes, reflective journals, and semi-structured interviews with 14 IFMs from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Germany. Alongside the post-pandemic academic labor market crises and geopolitical uncertainties, this study adopted the concepts of global brain drain and gain, as well as transnational academic capital mobility, and further mapped intercultural capital as a coping mechanism. Accordingly, the study promoted scholarly conversations about these primary themes: (a) motivational factors for relocation: global academic social networks and family reasons; (b) positionalities as GTSs: strategic leaders via global political savvy and academic expertise; (c) diagnosing the current brain circulation: ambiguous loss in the in-between space; and (d) survival strategy and outlooks: loyalty and intercultural awareness in institutional capacity. The most overarching findings revealed that while participants positioned themselves as GTSs in China, they also felt anxious and ambivalent about the current global brain circulation phenomenon, as they witnessed an increasing number of academic turnovers. Nevertheless, they emphasized the social importance of fostering intercultural awareness and building mutual understanding as essential elements of sustainable academic careers in Sino-foreign relations. Therefore, this study critiqued structural problems of the current brain circulation phenomenon and offered implications for establishing coping mechanisms for IFMs in China via intercultural training and career counseling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102278"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144997137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Loneliness in newly-arrived adolescents in Flanders: The role of positive and negative social ties within reception education","authors":"Katrijn Delaruelle , Sarah Devos , Lies Saelens , Piet Bracke , Floor Verhaeghe , Ilse Derluyn , Benedicte Deforche","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Newly-arrived adolescents face a triple jeopardy when it comes to loneliness, stemming from their age, migration background, and newcomer status. While theoretical arguments have been developed to explain this triple jeopardy, empirical research on specific correlates of newly-arrived adolescents’ loneliness experiences is scarce. This study aims to address this gap by examining the role of five different school-related factors —student support, teacher support, interpersonal trust within the school context, discrimination by peers and discrimination by teachers—, given the significance of the educational setting for newly-arrived adolescents. Survey data from 678 newly-arrived adolescents (aged 11–20 years) from 32 schools offering reception education in Flanders were used. Multilevel logistic regression was employed to analyse three loneliness outcomes: general, social, and emotional loneliness. The findings indicate that newly-arrived adolescents who felt more supported by their peers and teachers, and who reported higher levels of trust in them, felt less lonely. Additionally, newly-arrived adolescents who encountered discriminatory practices by their peers and teachers were more vulnerable to all types of loneliness than those who did not experience any discrimination. One exception was found: there were no significant differences in emotional loneliness between newly-arrived adolescents who experienced frequent discrimination from their peers and those who did not face any peer discrimination. In sum, this study highlights that schools providing reception education can act as significant actors in addressing the triple vulnerability of newly-arrived adolescents to loneliness. They underscore the need for targeted interventions within schools offering reception education to foster supportive and inclusive environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102294"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145096221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gyeongah Jang , Linda P. Juang , Miriam Schwarzenthal
{"title":"Changes in cultural orientation classes among adolescents of immigrant descent in South Korea: A nine-year longitudinal study","authors":"Gyeongah Jang , Linda P. Juang , Miriam Schwarzenthal","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102297","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adolescents of immigrant descent can be oriented toward their heritage and mainstream cultures. Addressing the lack of longitudinal studies of acculturation, this study identifies cultural orientation classes of such adolescents and tracks changes in their classes from early to late adolescence. Latent class analysis and latent transition analysis were applied using data from 2011, 2015, and 2019 (spanning nine years) of the nationally representative Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study collected from adolescents of immigrant descent in Korea (<em>n</em> = 1635). We identified three cultural orientation classes: “integration”, “assimilation”, and “moderate biculturalism”. Across all time points, most participants were in the “integration” and “assimilation” classes. At each transition point, the majority of adolescents tended to remain in one specific cultural orientation class, indicating stability. Furthermore, gender, ethnicity, and family language partially predicted membership in the “integration” or “assimilation” classes. Lastly, our findings revealed that adolescents in the “integration” and “assimilation” classes reported higher life satisfaction compared to those in the “moderate biculturalism” class. Based on our findings, we provide interpretations and discussions, taking into account the context of Korean society.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102297"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“There are rules only for life but not for freedom”: Using photovoice to investigate sense of belonging of young refugees in Germany","authors":"Andrea Monika Frisch , Gesa Solveig Duden , Agostino Mazziotta , Anette Rohmann","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study explores how young refugees experience and create a sense of belonging in Germany, using Photovoice, a community-based participatory action research method.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Twenty-eight young refugees attending an urban secondary school in Germany were invited to take photographs representing their sense of belonging. These photos were discussed collaboratively in group sessions and analyzed using descriptive thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Four key themes were identified: (1) Building Relationships with Germans and Feeling Part of Social Groups, (2) Navigating the Future by Balancing Aspirations with Fears of Exclusion, (3) Embracing Symbols, Values, and Respect for Diversity, and (4) Finding Solace in Nature and Cultural Spaces.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Belonging among young refugees is shaped by complex social, cultural, and spatial dimensions. The findings highlight the importance of fosterig inclusive environments, acknowledging symbolic representations of shared values, and creating inclusive and accessible spaces for connection and emotional restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102291"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145118590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What shapes the social perception of immigrant groups in Kazakhstan? The role of ethnic- and language-based identities and underlying threat and benefit perceptions","authors":"Adil Samekin , Aidos Bolatov , Patrick F. Kotzur","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we go beyond previous literature studying social perception of immigrant groups in Western, rich, educated, industrialized, and democratic contexts by contributing the first study of this kind in Kazakhstan, a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual country. Utilizing the stereotype content model framework, we investigated which immigrant groups are salient in Kazakhstani society (pilot study, <em>N</em> = 401). Building on these findings, we examined differences in warmth and competence perceptions across salient immigrant groups in Kazakhstani society in our main study (<em>N</em> = 500). Finally, we investigated the role of the ethnic and language-based identity of the perceiver in shaping the social perceptions for a subgroup of immigrant groups, and extended the stereotype content model framework with the threat and benefit model to investigate whether perceived societal threats or benefits explained these differences. Meaningful differences emerged along both dimensions of warmth and competence. Additionally, findings suggested that Russian-speakers perceived immigrant groups as warmer and more competent than Kazakh-speakers, which was explained by higher benefit rather than threat perceptions. Overall, we contributed novel insights on the social perception of immigrants and its determinants in a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual context, which we hope will provide a fertile ground for future investigations in under-researched areas and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102274"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144933246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Factors associated with intentions to seek face-to-face and online supports among Chinese-heritage university students in Australia with mental health concerns","authors":"Beibei Wang , Nicholas Glozier , Isabella Choi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102311","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102311","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chinese-heritage students in Australian universities tend to underuse both face-to-face and online mental health services. This study aimed to explore the associations between mental health knowledge, different types of stigmas, and intentions to seek help from online and face-to-face sources for psychological problems among Chinese-heritage students. Chinese-heritage students (N = 268) recruited from three Australian universities completed an online cross-sectional survey. Over 70 % self-reported current mental ill-health and 89 % had previously sought help for their condition. Overall, there were high intentions to seek help from online (71.3 %) and face-to-face (85.1 %) sources, with a clear preference for face-to-face support. Multivariate analyses revealed that international student status, longer residence in Australia, and greater mental health knowledge were associated with higher intentions to seek help from online and face-to-face sources; and younger age was additionally associated with intentions to seek help from online sources. The results suggested that, among help-seeking Chinese-heritage students with poor mental health, being an international student and residing longer in Australia were associated with higher intentions to seek help. Strategies to promote help-seeking among Chinese-heritage students in Australia should therefore focus on supporting newly arrived students, as well as improving mental health knowledge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102311"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Patterns of multicultural acceptance of the young and the elderly in South Korea and their impact on the acceptance of immigrants","authors":"Youra Oh , Ja Hyun Shin","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102310","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102310","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>South Korea, once regarded as an ethnically homogeneous nation, has undergone rapid demographic and policy changes since the early 2000s, giving rise to state-led multicultural initiatives. However, while the older generation has spent most of their lives in a monoethnic and assimilation-oriented society, younger cohorts have grown up amid greater everyday contact with immigrants and increased institutional support for diversity. Building on these generational differences, this study examined latent patterns of multicultural acceptance among young and older adults and examined how these patterns relate to attitudes toward immigrants. Utilizing data from the 2021 National Multicultural Acceptance Survey, latent profile analysis and the Bolck–Croon–Hagenaars approach were performed. Latent profile analysis identified three distinct profiles among the young and four among the elderly, showing higher overall multicultural acceptance among the former but greater complexity among the latter. According to the results of the Bolck–Croon–Hagenaars approach, patterns characterized by higher levels of multicultural acceptance were associated with more favorable attitudes toward immigrants. This study seeks to promote a desirable transition toward a multicultural society in South Korea by suggesting practical policy measures to enhance multicultural acceptance across generations, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive society grounded in mutual understanding and respect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102310"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}