Belonging in College: John William Miller on Liberal Education’s Promise of Freedom

Abstract:Interventions aimed at promoting student belonging on college campuses are important and should be promoted. Saying this, we must also understand their limitations. This article explores some of the limitations of belonging interventions through a discussion of philosopher John William Miller. In particular, this article suggests that belonging interventions don't do enough to create inclusive communities built on the practice of self-criticism and concludes by suggesting that we must appreciate the difference between an intervention and an education.