This study aims to extend current consumer research in stigma and immigration by approaching it from an intra-group perspective. In presenting the intra-group relationship between members of a stigmatised immigrant group, the study (1) challenges the perspective that an immigrant group adheres to the principal of in-group homogeneity when confronted with the group stigma and (2) provides insights into the impact of perceived group stigma on the relationships between members.

The growing number of multicultural cities and countries has drawn marketing scholars’ attention to study the complexity of consumer behaviour where consumers develop a multicultural identity and consume products of multiple cultures simultaneously. In the area of consumer acculturation, most studies have investigated consumers’ acculturation strategies and degrees toward different cultures, but have yet to tap into cultural affiliation between consumers of various ethnic groups. Consequently, the current literature is unable to answer the question of how ethnic minority consumers may collaborate, separate, or even compete with other cultures during the acculturation process. Acknowledging this research gap and the importance of studying consumer behaviour in multicultural marketplaces, we investigate consumer cultural affiliation and acculturation via the lens of Social Identity Theory. The study is based on interpretive and ethnographic approaches to the study of consumption, which involves observation, on-site interviews, in-depth interviews, photography, and collection of community news.

The traditional and dominant way of studying consumer acculturation has focused on a two-way interaction between the local and the newcomer. However, with the increasing number of multicultural marketplaces worldwide, this study investigates the complexity of consumer cultural affiliation and acculturation when consumers are in contact with multiple cultures simultaneously.

The rise of cross-border mobility, international trade and internet usage enhances intercultural interactions between marketer-consumer and consumer-consumer of different cultures. As consumers interact with multiple cultures at the same time, their cultural identity and practices could change and become more complex. This paper brings international marketing and consumer research attention to consumer multiculturation. Based on acculturation theory and the limited development of consumer multiculturation, we conceptualise consumer multiculturation by redefining the concept and generating its characteristics. Also, we discuss factors that could affect consumer multiculturation; thereafter propose a theoretical framework. The conceptualisation of consumer multiculturation will help to advance knowledge in international marketing and cross/inter-cultural consumer behaviour by differentiating it with consumer acculturation and enhancing the accuracy of measurement.

Research into Sustainable Development and related fields can often be viewed as more evident or relevant in science or engineering disciplines, rather than in the humanities or social sciences (Nakweya, 2017; Marcone, 2022). Anecdotally, we found that PGR students actively researching SD-related topics (or those who don’t currently perceive the SD connection with their research) can have limited awareness of the necessity of interdisciplinary understandings, and the value of collaborative working across disciplines, to effectively address the complex societal and environmental challenges.

This perception was reflected in our discussions with colleagues (academics, researchers + PGR students) on topics like sustainability or sustainable development, which often evoked responses like “Sustaina-WHAT?”. These responses became the main motivation of our team – we wanted people from across disciplines to come together and unitedly discuss a topic that relates to all, in one form or another.

We chose the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) as the focus of SustainaWHAT as the SDGs offer a tangible way of working on a range of societal and environmental issues using an internationally shared discourse. Importantly, the SDGs explicitly recognise the interplay across these issues, and within/ between disciplines. If you take any research focus or project, it’s unlikely that you would not be able to see how the SDGs are represented therein or at least have related implications).

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Since March 2020, Covid-19 pandemic has massively affected the operation of organisations of various sectors, including higher education. With campuses forced to close, online learning is no longer a supplementary approach for remote students, but rather, the only way to sustain during the pandemic. In the UK, it is expected that universities may reopen in the coming academic year, but the manner in which classrooms will be organised is still unclear (Coughlan, 2021). As such, study experience in the post pandemic may not be the same as before. Even after reopening, social distancing measures may still be maintained in physical classrooms. Furthermore, there are concerns about the students’ willingness to attend face-to-face classes and social events at school. This makes one of the main purposes of study abroad – to explore the world and make friends with people of different cultures – unfulfilled. As a result, aspects of acculturative stress may emerge amongst international students, especially those of underrepresented groups. 

In response to the current circumstances, a number of research have studied international students’ experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. The body of conceptual and empirical studies shows that the predominant focus is on students’ unfavourable experiences in online learning and cross-border travelling (e.g., Coffey et al., 2021; Van de Velde et al., 2021; etc.), motivation to study abroad (e.g., Singh et al., 2021; Mok et al., 2021, etc.) and coping strategies to deal with Covid-19 disruption (e.g., Baloch, 2021). However, the impact of Covid19 pandemic on cultural adjustment of international students has been overlooked. Furthermore, even before Covid-19, no researcher has been paid attention to international students of underrepresented groups, leaving those groups under-researched, while they may be the ones who suffer from acculturative stress the most. This also highlights the imbalanced power dynamics in social science research which needs to be solved. 

Our research aims to fill up those gaps by investigating acculturative stress that international students of underrepresented groups experience during the uncertainty times of Covid-19 pandemic; and how those difficulties affect their academic performance and wellbeing. To obtain these objectives, semi-structured interviews are conducted, and the collected data is analysed by utilising thematic analysis method.

Theoretically, the study sheds light on aspects of acculturative stress in a multicultural context and under uncertainty times. Whilst it may be too early to assume a clear post-COVID effects on study abroad experience, this study provides insights into the current acculturative stress that international students of minority groups suffer from. Findings from this study will help higher education institutions to better their policy on equality, diversity and inclusion and international students’ experience in the ‘new normal’ time. By having a more comprehensive policy on international students, the UK – as a study destination – will become more friendly environment and appealing option for students of different backgrounds and from different countries around the world.