1. Inclusion Matters: The Courage to Explore Identities, Intersectionality, & Borderlands for Student Success
Kelly P. Boutin, Bryant University
Annie M. Kosar, University of Rhode Island
Monday, March 5, Salon J- Downtown Marriot

2. What does INCLUSION mean to you?

3. Student Development Theory: A Progression
If we are asking our students to develop, we better be ready to do the work too.

4. Identity as a Whole

5. Singular Social Group Memberships
Sexual Orientation
Gender Expression
Ability
Race
Ethnicity
Spirituality
Socioeconomic Status
Age
Gender Identity
SELF

6. Student Development Theory
In the past 15 years, research on identity evolved to be more inclusive, nuanced, and interdisciplinary in its approach (Torres, Jones, & Renn, 2009).
Although many scholars have returned to considering "the whole student" rather than just pieces of identity, the work around singular social group memberships of the 70’s-90's is still important and relevant.
Without the understanding of how an individual's specific social group membership develops, it would be hard to understand how that development has impacted the individual's development as a whole (Boutin, 2015).

7. Multiple Identity Development
Pope And Reynolds, (1991)
Dealt with the complexities of diversity.
Specifically exploring multiple oppressions
Dialogue concerning the complexity of developing multiple identities, some which may be oppressed & others privileged.
Extended Root’s (1990) Biracial Identity Model to create Multidimensional Identity Model (MIM):
Identify with one aspect of self (society assigned-passive acceptance)
Identify with one aspect of self (conscious identification)
Identify with multiple aspects of self in a segmented fashion
Identify with combine aspects of self (identity intersection)

8. Multiple Identity Development
Jones and McEwen, (2000): Conceptual Model of Multiple Dimensions Of Identity
Jones and McEwen, (2000): Conceptual Model of Multiple Dimensions Of Identity
At the center of multiple dimensions of identity is a core sense of self, or “core identity.”
Externally defined singular social group memberships surround the core
Contextual influences are represented by intersecting circles of identity Importance of each secular identity is represented by a dot on the model.
How far these dots/identity dimensions are from the core identity signifies the importance that identity dimension has for the individual at that time.

9. Multiple Identity Development
Abes, Jones, and McEwen, (2007): Multiple Identities
Reconceptualized the Model of Multiple Dimensions of Identity along with the role of Meaning-Making Capacity in the construction of Multiple Identities
Abes, Jones, and McEwen, (2007): Multiple Identities
Portrays in 2 dimensions the interactive nature of the relationships among 3 components of the identity construction process: context, meaning-making, and identity perceptions (Abes, Jones, McEwen, 2007).
The Meaning-Making Capacity is drawn in the new model as a filter & contextual influences move through the filter depending upon the depth & permeability of the filter.
(Abes, Jones, McEwen, 2007)

10. Multiple Identities in Theoretical Practice
Abes and Jones, (2004): Meaning-Making Capacity
Explored Meaning-Making Capacity and the dynamics of lesbian college students’ multiple dimensions of identity
“However, given the complexity associated with negotiating sometimes conflicting identity dimensions, the salience of which interacts with contextual influences, a more holistic perspective on lesbian identity construction considers not only its interaction with other dimensions of identity, but also its interaction with other domains of development” (Abes and Jones, 2004).
Stevens, (2004) spoke about students becoming empowered through integrating identities.
The men in this study needed to have a sense of empowerment before they could truly explore how their sexual orientation intersected with other dimensions of their identity … Exploring how their sexual orientation intersected with these other dimensions of identity had only occurred after the students self-identified as gay and they felt empowerment within that segment of their identity” (Stevens, 2004).

11. Multiple Identities in Theoretical Practice
Abes and Kasch, (2007)
Proposed the idea of examining Queer Theory in relation to Multiple Identity Development which moved us closer to the theory of Intersectionality.

12. Self-Authorship
Kegan (1982) first offered the means to integrate separate clusters of developmental theory into a holistic framework.
Self-authorship- a self-perceived understandings of self
Moving from simple & external constructions of self to more complex & internal ones (Abes et al., 2007 & Jones, 2009)
Intrapersonal
Who am I?
Interpersonal
How do I construct relationships with others?
Cognitive
How do I know what I know? (Baxter-Magolda, 2001)

13. Intersectionality
Intersectionality involves not only understanding our multiple identities, but also examines many of the systems of privilege and oppression which operate in our society and affect how identity can be very different from one person to another even if they may hold the same identity(ies).
Intersectionality expands the analytic lens to include both multiple identities and larger social structures of power & inequality (Torres, Jones, & Renn, 2009).
“Intersectionality is best situated as an interpretive framework that blends four others: critical theory, feminist theory, queer theory, and postmodern perspectives. At its core, intersectionality derives its purpose from the idea of creating social change for the participants and society in general.” (Russell, 2012)

14. Intersectionality
(Russell, 2012)

15. Border Identities
Borderland - a third space that is neither one land nor the other but a new space that is a “both/and” location… An environment where individuals fluctuate between two discrete worlds, participating in both and wholly belonging to neither, “none of them ‘home,’ yet none of them ‘not home’” (Anzaldúa, 1987, p. 528).
Theoretical borderlands can effectively describe diverse college students’ complex understandings and experiences with their identities (Abes, 2009).

16. LA MESTIZA
Because I, a mestiza, continually walk out of one culture and into another, because I am in all cultures at the same time, alma entre dos mundos, tres, cuatro, me zumba la cabeza con lo contradictorio Estoy norteada por todas la voces que me hablan simultáneamente.
Anzaldúa, 1987

17. Border Identities
How do Border Identities come up for you?

18. Application
“As scholars continue to ask questions about the nature and development of identity in college students, those questions must reflect the complexity of identity and its development as well as the growing demographic diversity within the college student population” (Stewart, 2009, p. 253).

19. SELF Sexual Orientation Gender Expression Ability Race Ethnicity
Spirituality
Socioeconomic Status
Age
Gender Identity
SELF
Boutin and Kosar, 2015

20. Inclusion What does it mean to you?
How has today’s presentation of information impacted your understanding of inclusion?
How will you use this information and understanding?
For yourself?
For your students?

21. References
Abes, E.S. (2009). Theoretical Borderlands: Using Multiple Theoretical Perspectives to Challenge Inequitable Power Structures in Student Development Theory. Journal of College Student Development, 50(2),
Abes, E.S., Jones, S.R. (2004). Meaning-making capacity and the dynamics of lesbian college students’ multiple dimensions of identity. Journal of College Student Development, 45(6),
Abes, E.S., Jones, S.R., McEwen, M.K. (2007). Reconceptualizing the model of multiple dimensions of identity: the role of meaning-making capacity in the construction of multiple identities. Journal of College Student Development, 48(1), 1-22.
Abes, E. S. & Kasch, D., (2007). Using queer theory to explore lesbian college students’ multiple dimensions of identity. Journal of College Student Development, 48(6),
Anzaldúa, G. (1987). Borderlands: La Frontera. San Francisco: Spinsters.
Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote self-development, Herndon: Stylus.

22. References
Jones, S.R., McEwen, M.K. (2000). A conceptual model of multiple dimensions of Identity. Journal of College Student Development, 41(4),
Jones, S. R. (2009). Constructing identities at the intersections: An authoethnographic exploration of multiple dimensions of identity. Journal of College Student Development, 50(3),
Kegan, R. (1982). The evolving self: Problem and process in human development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Pope, R. L., Reynolds, A.L.(1991). The complexities of diversity: exploring multiple oppressions. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70,
Root, M. P. P., (1990). Resolving “other” status: Identity development of biracial individuals. Women and Therapy, 9(1-2),
Russell, E. A. (2011) Voices unheard: Using intersectionality to understand identity among sexually marginalized undergraduate college students of color (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from

23. References
Stevens, R.A., (2004). Understanding gay identity development within the college environment. Journal of College Student Development, 45(2),
Torres, V., Jones, S. R., & Renn, K. A. (2009). Identity development theories in Student Affairs: Origins, current status, and new approaches. Journal of College Student Development, 50(6),

24. References

25. Thank you for joining us today!
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See you in Los Angeles in 2019!