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Catholic Students Intersecting With The Academy: An Exploration Of Religious Identities, Sara Elizabeth Miller

Dissertations

This study is a constructivist, narrative case study exploring the experiences of Catholic college students at a secular university. Eight student narratives are explored through the lens of intersectionality theory, in the context of classroom experiences. This study reviews the history of religion in higher education, Christian privilege, religious identity development, and sense of belonging in order to contextualize the participants’ perceptions of being marginalized in academic settings. With consideration for current social issues and political debates, students reflected on their experiences and ultimately revealed that Catholic students are feeling marginalized in their classrooms, not only for their specific beliefs, …