This study used classic grounded theory to investigate how inclusion and exclusion are negotiated in Japanese schools. Data were collected over eighteen months across elementary, middle and high school settings through interviews with teachers and school leaders, non-participant observation, field notes and memo-writing, and analysed using the constant comparative method. Students were not formally interviewed; their experiences were examined through observations, informal conversations and educators’ accounts. The analysis generated the core social process of Calibrated Belonging: adjusting one’s visibility and social presentation in response to othering while seeking connection. Four categories constitute this process: Boundary Sensing, Narrative Negotiation, Structural Compliance and Relational Anchoring. The resulting theory was compared with relevant scholarship to explore implications for school counselling and educational policy.
Research papers (academic journals)
