Between Culture and Profession: South Asian Immigrant Students’ Experiences of Identity, Racism, and Belonging in Ontario’s BSW Programs

Abstract

This thesis examines the cultural and professional identity formation of South Asian immigrant students in Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs in Ontario, Canada. Grounded in Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, Acculturation Theory, and Professional Identity Formation, the study interrogates how Eurocentric and settler-colonial structures of social work education shape the experiences of racialized immigrant students. While existing literature highlights systemic racism and the dominance of Western epistemologies in social work curricula and practice, few studies explicitly center the voices of South Asian students navigating these tensions in Canadian contexts. Through qualitative interviews with six South Asian immigrant BSW students, this study employs thematic analysis to explore how participants negotiate cultural expectations, institutional demands, and professional legitimacy. Findings reveal five interconnected themes: Eurocentrism in curriculum and professionalism; cultural conflict and identity fragmentation; systemic racism and institutional neglect; identity negotiation and survival strategies; and colonial residue and epistemological conflict. These themes demonstrate that professional identity formation is not merely an academic or technical process, but a deeply cultural and political negotiation shaped by race, migration, and power. The analysis highlights both exclusionary dynamics and participants’ creative strategies of resistance and reimagination. Students drew upon cultural knowledge, community accountability, and acts of refusal to contest assimilationist pressures, thereby generating possibilities for more pluralistic and decolonial approaches to social work education. This thesis contributes to social work scholarship by amplifying the underrepresented voices of South Asian immigrant students and by situating professional identity formation within broader structures of colonialism and systemic racism. It calls for curricular reform, equity-oriented field education, and institutional accountability that recognize and value diverse epistemologies. In doing so, it advances the conversation on how social work education can become more inclusive, culturally responsive, and socially just.