The Belonging Project: About the Project

The purpose of this guide is to involve the ECU community in taking steps towards "belonging" and away from "othering". This guide seeks to accomplish this purpose in three ways:

Providing voice to marginalized communities. The majority of the resources on the following tabs have been selected by members of marginalized communities.
Recommending culture-rich resources for non-members of the marginalized community to learn more about the community.
Prompting viewers to reflect on the shared humanity of all groups while still acknowledging the distinct needs of each group.

Terms

Belonging

"Belongingness entails an unwavering commitment to not simply tolerating and respecting difference but to ensuring that all people are welcome and feel that they belong in the society."

Powell, J.A. and Menendian, S. (2017). The problem of othering: Towards inclusiveness and belonging. Othering & Belonging: Expanding the Circle of Human Concern, 1, 14-39. http://www.otheringandbelonging.org/the-problem-of-othering/

Similar term: Inclusion

A state of belonging, when persons of different backgrounds and identities are valued, integrated, and welcomed equitably as decision-makers and collaborators. Inclusion involves people being given the opportunity to grow and feel/know they belong. Diversity efforts alone do not create inclusive environments. Inclusion involves a sense of coming as you are and being accepted, rather than feeling the need to assimilate.

CSSP (2019). “Key Equity Terms and Concepts: A Glossary for Shared Understanding.” Washington, DC: Center for the Study of Social Policy. Available at: https://cssp.org/resource/key-equity-terms-concepts/.

Othering

The perception or placing of a person or a group outside and/or in opposition to what is considered to be the norm. Othering is based on a conscious or unconscious assumption that a certain identified group poses a threat to the favored or dominant group.

Similar term: Marginalization

The process that occurs when members of a dominant group relegate a particular group to the edge of society by not allowing them an active voice, identity, or place for the purpose of maintaining power.

Megaphone Voice

"Voice can give expression to group-based needs and issues without resorting to segregation or secession."

Dig Deeper

Related Projects

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
More information about creating equity and justice at ECU. Opens a new tab.

Join Linscheid Library's Check It Out social media campaign to recommend books, videos, podcasts, movies, etc. that broadened your perspective about people different from you. Participants are asked to share a photo and quote along with their resource. If you would like to participate, please email Marla at mlobley@ecok.edu.⁠