Deconstructing Otherness: A Decolonial Inquiry into the Experiences of Immigrant Students

This paper engages in a decolonial exploration of the immigrant experience through the lens of “otherness.” Drawing upon literature on postcolonialism and decoloniality, the paper sought to interrogate the discourses and structures that perpetuate the marginalisation and alienation of immigrant students within host societies. Data utilised in this paper emanated from a qualitative study that sought to capture the experiences of twelve immigrant students and twelve non-immigrant students from two secondary basic education learning institutions in Mthatha, situated in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The paper critically examines the role of colonial legacies, systemic inequalities, and cultural hegemony in producing and sustaining the otherness of immigrant students. In doing so, it offers insights into the complexities of immigrant identities and challenges dominant narratives that reinforce exclusionary practices. Ultimately, this decolonial inquiry provides recommendations that seek to contribute to broader discussions on social justice, inclusion, and the transformative potential of decolonising approaches in addressing issues of otherness within contemporary societies.