The Experience of Stigma and Coping among Marginalized Students in South-East Asian Countries

A total of 29 marginalized student groups from (Indonesia (n=12), Malaysia (n=8), and the Philippines (n=9) were individually interviewed and asked: What are your experiences of stigma as a student from an Indigenous and ethnic-minority group? How did you react when faced with these experiences? and What can be done to minimize or eradicate this experience(s) of stigma? All interviews were transcribed and analyzed inductively. They were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling with inclusion criteria aged 18-30, from an Indigenous/ethnic-minority group, and being a student for at least one year. From our preliminary analysis, we found that students in the Philippines experienced stereotypes of being indigenous people. They also shared narratives of social exclusion brought by their differences from the rest of the students. Moreover, they experienced objectification when wearing their traditional garments. The Indonesian students received unequal treatment at their universities which may have impacted their academic performance. They shared about being underestimated (i.e. academic ability), stereotyped, and mocked because of their language, leading to social exclusion. Participants from Malaysia shared experiences of systemic discrimination in public universities through the quota system, which made them have to compete with both ethnic minority and majority groups. When faced with stigma, students in the Philippines felt frustrated and tried to ignore it. Similarly, most of the students in Malaysia felt helpless, and the extreme action was camouflaging themselves to fit in. In contrast, students in Indonesia shared a sense of acceptance from the experience of stigma, keeping silent and away from all the people who ostracized them, and continuing to adjust so that they could fit into the norms. Participants from three countries emphasized that education and awareness about their culture and heritage will reduce experiences of inequality and discrimination among ethnic minority students.