Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Poole, Deandre

Abstract

African international students continue to remain one of the least represented and studied groups of international students. In addition to the acculturative stress typically experienced by international students, African students inherit the marginalization of their racial/ethnic group in the United States. As such, scholars acknowledge the need for continued research into the experiences of African international students. Utilizing the Integrative Theory of Communication and Cross- Cultural Adaptation and elements of postcolonialism, this thesis explored the experiences of 10 African students in the United States. A qualitative analysis revealed that host receptivity, perceived cultural differences, expectations, and language/accents influenced intercultural communication. The challenges experienced in intercultural interactions allowed for the emergence of an intercultural identity such that the participants existed in a third space as intercultural Africans. This thesis adds to existing research on cross-cultural adaptation and negotiated identity, while also providing practical implications for schools.

Extent

89 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Thesis (MA)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00013717

Format

pdf

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