ABSTRACT
The present chapter analyzes the development of intercultural sensitivity (ICS) during a collaborative online international learning (COIL) project wherein university students from the USA and South Africa investigated the topic of migration. In groups of six, students reflected on the politics of migration and considered the experiences of migrants from South Africa, the USA, and Spain. The subject of migration illuminated how intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, language, and geography shape migration discourses. The goal was for students to develop ICS when discussing these topics in their teams and when reflecting upon the challenges and opportunities of working collaboratively. Besides showing improved ICS and heightened awareness about global issues seen through localized lenses, this COIL project shows that “pedagogies of discomfort” (Zembylas, 2018) can be used in virtual exchange to develop sensitivity and individual and social transformation.
