Theorizing Black Joy as Radical Welcome: Spatial Practices for Liberatory Classroom Spaces

• In Event: Storying Resistance, Joy, and Radical Possibility

Abstract

This theoretical paper examines how classroom spaces can be reconceptualized through spatial theory, poststructuralism, and queer theory, ultimately positioning Black joy as a transformative spatial practice. By analyzing how power geometries, performativity, and normative disruption manifest in educational environments, this paper argues that practices fostering Black joy create liberatory classroom spaces that benefit all students, offering a framework for understanding how teachers and students can co-construct environments that challenge rather than reproduce institutional oppression.

Author

• Rebekah J Adams, University of Georgia