International students in the United States are observing the 2024 presidential election with a mix of curiosity and concern, highlighting the global interest of American politics in the rest of the world.
When speaking with some current and former international students who have witnessed several U.S. presidential election campaigns, they were drawn to the openness of discussions and the amount of information available about the process.
They appreciate the high level of engagement and transparency in the electoral process, which stands in stark contrast to the more restricted political environments in their home countries. Their diverse feedback highlights the global interest in and impact of American politics.
Musbah Shaheen, a native of Syria, arrived in the U.S. in 2014 for undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University. Now an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Shaheen said he initially found the political landscape confusing.
“The first U.S. election I experienced was in 2016. At the time, I didn’t even realize I was experiencing an election in the same way I did in 2020,” he said. “My interaction with the political system in the [United] States has been an eye-opening experience.”
In Syria, political discussions were often avoided, he said, adding that, “Politics was taboo. Family gatherings involved hushed conversations with windows closed and voices lowered.”
This contrasted sharply with the open political discourse he encountered in the U.S.
“In the United States, people sometimes feel like their voice doesn’t matter, but I have experienced actual fear of vocalizing what I believed. This country does feel like there is room for conversation and debate in a way that I didn’t really get when I was in Syria,” Shaheen said.
Now a faculty member, Shaheen emphasizes guiding students through ideological differences.
“I want my students to understand not just the policies but the ideologies behind them,” he said. “What does it mean to be conservative or liberal? What are the foundational beliefs of these ideologies?”
Shaheen emphasized the need to create both physical and emotional spaces where students can freely discuss topics like U.S. politics. Moreover, Shaheen calls for increased intellectual engagement.
“We need to encourage all students, international and domestic, to reflect on their beliefs and engage in meaningful conversations. We don’t want siloed resources for our students; we want them to engage with a variety of ideas,” he explained.
Rohan Naval, from Bengaluru, India, and a political science student at American University in Washington, offers a different perspective.
Naval, who has been studying in the U.S. for a year, mentioned being impressed by the extensive media coverage of U.S. elections.
“From a student’s perspective, I like the way U.S. elections are conducted. There’s a lot of media coverage, and efforts to get voters registered and informed are commendable,” he said.
Naval expressed surprise at the unpredictability of the current U.S. campaign.
“Everything we’ve seen over the last two months has been very surprising, like the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. It’s hard to predict what will happen next,” he said.
He was particularly surprised by President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race after participating in just one debate.
Naval, who grew up in India, compared U.S. and Indian elections, noting the convenience of mail-in ballots in the U.S. and the transparency in the counting process.
“In India, voters often have to travel long distances to cast their ballots, whereas in the U.S., the process is more accessible,” he said.
Victoria Charalampidi, a recent graduate from the American College of Greece where she majored in communication with a minor in international affairs, had studied in the U.S. in 2022 at Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland.
“When I arrived, Joe Biden was president. I viewed his presidency as a shift away from Trump’s administration,” she said.
She noted that Trump’s economic policies had some positive effects, but she thought his approach to politics was often more divisive compared to Biden's approach during his candidacy.
Charalampidi said she found the complexity of governing a diverse nation intriguing.
She said she is disappointed with the current political campaigns in the U.S., which she said seems more polarized.
“The focus on military engagements and the rollback of policies like abortion rights show a country struggling to move forward while clinging to old values,” Charalampidi said.
She also says the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, represents progress as a woman of color is competing for high office.
As international students navigate the complexities of U.S. elections, their insights offer a valuable perspective on the global impact of American politics.
