Belonging is a multi-faceted phenomenon with implications across personal, social and academic areas. Existing research conducted predominantly outside the UK provides insight into identity construction, social inclusion and academic progress for D/deaf children and young people. Yet, offers limited insight into how D/deaf children and young people understand, negotiate and embody a sense of belonging at school. For D/deaf young people, belonging is particularly vital because their access to communication, social interaction and identity-affirming environments is often shaped by systems that were not designed with them in mind.
Through the lens of Social Constructionism and Deaf Critical Theory, this research adopts a cultural-linguistic model of Deafness, considering Deafness to be a cultural identity rather than an audiological deficit. These lenses consider the role of power, privilege and language in constructing meaning of D/deaf young people’s experiences of belonging at school. Using Critical-Constructivist Grounded Theory as a means of exploratory study, nine Deaf participant-researchers shared their experiences of belonging through in-person interviews, conducted alongside a British Sign Language interpreter. Through constant comparative analysis, the resulting Grounded Theory documents a journey of how Deaf young people embody collective belonging in the face of oppression. The individual components of this journey, accessible language, identity development, shared experiences and Deaf pride, lead to Deaf Consciousness, in which solidarity with other D/deaf peers strengthens and empowers individuals to advocate and challenge acts of oppression in a hearing-dominant society.
Implications for practice and wider policy are provided, alongside nine tenets of Deaf Consciousness, designed to guide the Hearing world towards allyship with Deaf communities.
