Conditions of Belonging: An Exploration of Political Voice, Discipline, and Belonging in Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 4:15 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding Civic Agency and Voice of Higher Education Students

Abstract

This paper explores the ways schools’ respectability requirements—rules about dress, grooming, and behavior—shape students’ sense of belonging. We argue that embodying respectability requirements is often a prerequisite for school citizenship and belonging and functions as a tool for maintaining social conformity. Drawing on a survey of undergraduates at a large public university, we explore their K–12 disciplinary encounters, particularly those related to respectability, impact students’ experiences of belonging, empathy, and political voice. Our results show that non-White students are more likely to face respectability-based discipline, which is linked to feelings of reduced school belonging and lower political engagement. We conclude that culturally-affirming behavioral norms, student voice, and dissent are crucial for promoting democratic participation and belonging.

Authors

• Sarah Luria, University at Albany

• Tamar Malloy, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Marayna Martinez, University of Colorado - Boulder