Visibly, invisible, I stick out, but I’m alone. SOMALI WOMEN STUDENTS EXPERIENCE IN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN RELATION TO THEIR RACE, GENDER, AND CULTURAL IDENTITY.

Abstract: Abstract: This research explores the experiences of Somali woman students, to gain an understanding on how the subgroup interacts within and around campus, in relation to their race, gender and cultural identity. This research aims to acknowledge the multiple barriers and factors which may aid or hinder their experiences. The findings allowed for thematic analysis. The study observed that the participants experienced racist and other oppressive encounters from both professors and other students through their lived experiences and autoethnographic components. The Somali women participants faced challenges like stereotype threat, microaggressions, and a sense of responsibility to represent their entire community. The study found that the lack of diversity among staff and lecturers affected their sense of belonging and career aspirations, and there was a distinction between the self-identification of the participants and their sense of belonging within spaces on campus. Six participants were interviewed, within the university campus, around Sweden which also included my own auto-ethnographical account of studying within the Swedish higher education system. This research overall opens the door on more analysis of the sub-group, which was significantly limited, within higher education research.