Full Description
Fat on Campus: The Voices and Images of Fat College Students and the Impacts of Fatphobia amplifies the voices of 11 fat college students across the United States. Defined as "a pathological fear of fatness often manifested as negative attitudes and stereotypes about fat people" (Robinson et al., 1993, p. 468), fatphobia, like other forms of oppression, impacts our students and our campuses. Unlike other cultural phenomena, fatness is one of the last socially acceptable forms of bias.
This text sheds light on fat students, increasing their visibility in higher education, explaining why it is important to recognize and address this critical issue on campuses across America. Using rich stories from students who self-identify as fat, this text honors their experiences and highlights how they have created welcoming spaces for themselves in often unwelcoming collegiate environments. The book shares findings from a national photovoice research study, including narratives and photographs. A methodological technique combining storytelling and photography, photovoice is often used to inspire social change. Aligned with the idea of transforming the future of higher education, this book serves as both a call to action for educators and a love letter to fat students on campus.
The book is designed to engage educators and amplify the voices of fat students in an accessible way. While it may be tempting for readers to flip to the section corresponding with their functional area of interest, readers are invited to read the whole book and ask themselves, "How can I extend this research to my own place of work?"
Perfect for courses such as: College Environments; Diversity in Higher Education; Understanding College Students; Arts-Based Research and Methodologies; Qualitative Research
Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword by Rayven N. Morrow
Chapter 1: A Day in the Life
Chapter 2: Introduction to the Study
Chapter 3: Fat in the Classroom
Chapter 4: Fat in Student Organizations and Social Spaces
Chapter 5: Fat in Greek Life
Chapter 6: Fat in Residential Community Spaces
Chapter 7: Fat in University Health Centers and Campus Wellness Spaces
Chapter 8: Fat AND...: The Multiple Minoritized Identities Chapter
Chapter 9: Our Love Letters
Epilogue: Fat on Campus Website and Resources
About the Authors
Index
