Relationships as Embodied Counterspaces in the Academy

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of 24 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students and four staff members affiliated with a transitional undergraduate research program that facilitated a bi-directional socialization process that nurtured students’ cultural backgrounds and identities. This critical qualitative case study considers the possibility of relationships as embodied counterspaces in the academy, encouraging us to reconsider the ways in which we imagine spaces of restoration and empowerment in higher education. Findings reveal that counterspaces can transcend physical spaces and can become embodied within relationships that move with, and can be accessed by, students throughout their college journey. Within these relationships, students are affirmed and empowered, which supports them in navigating college. Implications for research and practice are provided.

“Confidence to Continue”: A Qualitative Investigation of College Students’ Experiences of Microaffirmations

“…Institutions of higher education are called upon to carefully consider how best to create environments where students feel they belong (Strayhorn, 2018). Moreover, creating racially just campuses necessitates employing, training, and supporting faculty and staff who make campuses welcoming to all students (Luedke, 2023). To feel belonging, individuals must have frequent, positive interactions with other people in a group, and the group must include ongoing concern for the welfare of its members (Baumeister & Leary, 1995).…”