‘I Feel Like an Outsider’: Young People, Racialised Stereotypes and School Belonging

Belonging is a key driver of student engagement, learning and wellbeing, yet many African-heritage students in Australian schools report persistent exclusion. This qualitative case study uses belonging as an analytical lens to examine how racialised stereotypes shape students’ everyday school experiences. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 53 participants across three Australian states, the analysis shows that lowered teacher expectations and disproportionate disciplinary measures produce alienation and erode students’ sense of inclusion and worth. In response to these challenges, I propose three interrelated pathways for cultivating school belonging: recognition (affirming students’ full humanity), emplacement (designing school spaces and practices that make students feel safe and valued) and resonance (fostering emotional connexion so belonging is both structural and felt). When students are fully recognised, securely anchored, and emotionally connected, they are more likely to engage and learn meaningfully.