Internalized Racism, Career Aspirations, and Academic Achievement in South Asian Americans

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of internalized racism on the academic achievement and career aspirations of South Asian Americans using a literature review of research published in the past thirty years. Archival research suggests that internalized racism can reduce peer support, weaken self-confidence, and limit the range of career options perceived as achievable by certain minority groups. The influence of internalized racism on goals is better documented in groups like African Americans and Asian Americans as a whole, but a key gap is present in the exploration of the impact within the South Asian American group. This gap in research makes it difficult to fully grasp how cultural identity struggles and societal stereotypes shape their academic and career outcomes. Future studies should focus on collecting lived experiences from South Asian Americans across the United States to better understand how internalized racism affects this growing community.