Conceptualising Belonging: How LIS Education Can Cultivate a Truly Inclusive Future for Neurodivergent and Disabled Information Professionals
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This paper presents a self-/context-belonging/alienation model to conceptualise belonging in the workplace. Using disability and neurodivergence as an example, we argue that we can move beyond inclusion as mere physical access or policy compliance. Our model frames belonging as a relational, context-dependent phenomenon co-constructed by individual agency (self) and systemic factors (context). Synthesising existing literature on critical disability studies and organisational research, we examine how collegial relationships, spatial design, workplace policies and procedures, and organisational culture shape disabled and neurodivergent employees’ belonging and alienation. We argue that Library and Information Science (LIS) education of the future, particularly in leadership and management curricula, needs to equip students with critical tools to recognise and address the social and structural factors that shape a sense of belonging, especially for equity-deserving employees, such as librarians with disabilities and neurodivergence. We propose pedagogical strategies incorporating the self-/context-belonging/alienation model into LIS coursework, encouraging reflexive leadership, inclusive policy design, and practices that challenge ableism. By embedding this model into LIS education, future professionals will be better prepared to foster equitable, accessible, and empowering organisational environments. This work contributes both a theoretical framework and practical applications for reimagining LIS education in alignment with principles of disability justice.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Publication Info
Published in Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, Volume 74, Issue 4, 2025.
Rights
© 2026 Informa UK Limited
APA Citation
Wan, Y., & Thompson, K. M. (2025). Conceptualising Belonging: How LIS Education Can Cultivate a Truly Inclusive Future for Neurodivergent and Disabled Information Professionals. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 74(4), 583-604. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2025.2540085