HA: [SEELANGS] Experience of African-American Students in Russia

[Debenedette, Lynne]

While the reports of skinhead violence against non-European foreigners (most recently here in St. Petersburg the killing of a Vietnamese student) are horrible and alarming, I don't think it's enough just to tell US students (who are trying to get a sense of how safe they'll be) about these attacks without putting them into any kind of context. This is especially true given the overwhelming negativity of reporting on Russia in the US press. It's certainly important for any US student who, because of race or ethnic origin, might be more vulnerable here to understand this, and to know what kinds of behavior and environments to avoid (being out alone at night, avoiding certain neighborhoods, for example). I cannot claim exhaustive knowledge of things that happen to US students in Russia, but the African-American and Asian students I have had who studied here did not report any instances of harrassment (and I made sure to ask) other than getting their documents checked once or twice. I suspect US students of color are somewhat less vulnerable than students coming from countries in Africa and Asia; partly this may be because US-based study abroad programs almost all use homestays, so students are not living in the foreign student dorms that tend to attract skinhead violence. Also our programs have serious pre-session orientations that do not mince words about safety issues.
 
It would be very helpful to hear from current US study abroad directors on this topic--what are your experiences?

Lynne

Lynne deBenedette
Sr.Lecturer in Russian
Department of Slavic Languages
Brown University
20 Manning Walk, Box E
Providence RI 02912
on leave Fall 2004
email lynne_debenedette at brown.edu



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