| Title: |
Panacea or Purposeful Blanket Statement for Disrupting Oppression? A Critical Review of Sense of Belonging Literature 1950-2021 |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Delma Ramos (ORCID 0000-0003-1611-243X); Raquel Wright-Mair; Brenda Sifuentez; Cathryn B. Bennett; Marjorie Blicharz; Ashley Elmes |
| Source: |
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. 2025 18(1):S415-S432. |
| Availability: |
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
18 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Information Analyses |
| Education Level: |
Higher Education; Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: |
Sense of Belonging; Literature Reviews; Higher Education; Minority Group Students; Inclusion; Educational Environment; Definitions; Educational Research; Race; Undergraduate Students; Context Effect |
| DOI: |
10.1037/dhe0000582 |
| ISSN: |
1938-8926; 1938-8934 |
| Abstract: |
Sense of belonging (SB), a concept frequently applied to developing welcoming and inclusive campus environments, has become commonplace in discourse about diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, due to taken-for-granted understandings of the nature and intents of the concept and the unquestioned positive representations of SB and its application, the concept is seldom interrogated and evaluated concerning its original intentions and its applicability to different groups across higher education. Thus SB has become a panacea to "fix" all ills. In light of the unquestioned popularity and acceptance of SB and its adoption as a buzzword, this article presents preliminary findings from a larger multiyear research study focused on mapping the terrain surrounding the SB concept's foundations related to student support efforts as contrasted with contemporary uptake. Specifically, through a systematic review of literature, the present study examines the foundational definitions of belonging (1951) that resulted in the concept of SB being coined (1974) in higher education literature to assess their evolution from the early origins to current times (2021). Our findings reveal that SB has more often than not been used without any theoretical grounding in research and practice especially for marginalized and racially minoritized student populations; this is particularly problematic as some utilizations and conceptualizations of SB continue to perpetuate White normativity. Implications for research and practice are provided. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2026 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1506188 |
| Database: |
ERIC |