The idea of “belonging” implies the existence of a meaningful connection between a person and a sociospatial environment. One belongs where one is deeply familiar and comfortable with the surroundings and/or its people, where one fits in. A thoughtful scholarly definition of belonging describes it as “a socially constructed, embedded process in which people reflexively judge the suitability of a given site as appropriate given their social trajectory and their position in other fields” (Savage, Bagnall, & Longhurst, 2005, p. 12).
In establishing belonging, people make interpretive judgments about their personal fit within a given setting, whether it be a neighborhood, city, or country. These cognitive and emotional interpretations draw on, and align with, other life experiences and identities. The definition emphasizes the dynamic character of ...
Research Methods