An Underrepresented Woman’s Negotiation of Meaning in Her Mathematical Community: She Belongs, But . . .

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Overcoming Barriers in Mathematics Education (Table 7)

Abstract

I share data from research conceptualizing the sense of belonging of women and/or racially/ethnically underrepresented student in university mathematics. Narrative inquiry guided the study to engage dialogically with participants of a mathematical community by attending their voices. I gathered in-depth interviews and reflection videos in spring 2022. Among five undergraduate mathematics majors, I share Maya’s story taking place in various mathematical spaces she participated in, portraying her actions around the three modes of belonging: engagement, alignment, and imagination (Wenger, 1998). An examination of Maya’s participatory actions illuminated her negotiations and conflicts in belonging, providing a lens for instructors of mathematics and policymakers to consider the value of constructing equitable spaces to foster inclusion and, consequently, belonging for underrepresented students.

Author

• Seyda Uysal, University of Southern Mississippi