Date of Award

2025-08-20

Degree Name

PhD Education for Social Justice

Dissertation Committee

Suzanne Stolz, EdD Hannah Mesouani, PhD

Keywords

belonging, school, incarceration

Abstract

Belonging is a universal desire, providing purpose and comfort, that supports our ability to survive and triumph through difficulty. A lack of belonging can impact one’s likelihood of becoming incarcerated. In turn, incarceration stigmatizes individuals and disrupts connections with family, friends, and community members. This study of individual’s experiences of belonging analyzed reflective written accounts created during incarceration. This phenomenological qualitative examination of belonging for formerly and currently incarcerated individuals, disproportionately people of color and individuals with disabilities, sought to deepen our understanding of belonging as a force in their lives. In the United States, high rates of incarceration impact not only currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, but their loved ones as well. This study, which examined the American Prison Writing Archive writings of formerly and currently incarcerated individuals and their experiences of belonging during K-12 school and incarceration, used a socio-ecological lens, highlighting the reciprocal relationship between individual and environment. This study found that dysfunctional home environments caused emotional dysregulation at school which resulted in more negative interactions creating barriers to belonging and that incarceration plays a significant role in disrupting belonging, separating individuals from their families and daily routines. For some, belonging served as a protective factor for navigating school and prison. This study implies that creating schools which are trauma-informed could improve students’ sense of belonging, potentially disrupting the school to prison pipeline. It also makes a case for reducing suffering in carceral institutions through improving access to interpersonal relationships and education.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Leadership Studies

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