Identity Construction Among Higher Education Saudi Students in The UK

Abstract

The steady rise in Saudi students attending British universities gives them a unique experience since it exposes them to a new way of life with distinct beliefs, values, and customs. However, they might also have to cope with the contemporary anti-Muslim sentiment known as Islamophobia. This study aims to better understand how Saudi students create and re-create their identities through their experiences while studying in the UK. In particular, the following inquiries are addressed: 1) Which academic and everyday life experiences do Saudi students share during their time studying in the UK? 2) What do their combined experiences reveal about their identity as Saudis? Twenty Saudi students enrolled in UK higher education institutions participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews as part of a narrative approach used to answer these questions. The approach of interviewing them twice provides an even deeper understanding of their stories and how time affected their attitudes during two periods: before coming to the UK and after spending a while in the UK. With respect to the first query, the results of this study show that Saudi students have a lot of interests in common while they are studying in the UK. These narratives examine how Saudi students viewed British identity before coming to the UK and how their views on race changed over time. The findings also shed light on their accounts of encounters with Islamophobia, discrimination, and equality in their social and academic lives. The accounts also reveal how Saudi students socialise with people of the opposite gender in the UK and how they engage with locals, Muslims, and other Saudis. The stories explore how the students perceive gender roles in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. The narratives also look at how Saudi students' views of British identity have changed as a result of their time in the UK. Regarding the second query, the research's conclusions show how Saudi students create their gender identities. Most participants in this study acknowledged that their gender identities and responsibilities had changed since coming to the UK, showing that they had adjusted to these changes. Furthermore, this study also emphasizes the shift in the religious identities of Saudi students. The experiences of Saudi students studying in the UK reveal a change, leading to greater sense of solidarity with other Muslims and a more steadfast dedication to their Islamic faith.