{"id":{"repo_id":"uwo","oai_identifier":"oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/38638"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uwo/oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/38638","repository":{"repo_id":"uwo","name":"Western University","base_url":"https://uwo.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"At the Intersection of International, Neurodiverse, and \"Different\": Making Space for Inclusion and Belonging in Hong Kong","abstract":"Despite the global commitments, efforts, and resources devoted to increasing belonging in school systems, countless students around the world continue to suffer from inequity and othering. This lack of effective inclusion is not due to the deficits in the biology of children nor the failings of their families, but rather, stems from the pervasive oppressive forces, including ableism and racism, that are deeply entrenched in the institutional philosophies, policies, and practices of schools—public and private, local and international. Anchored in the insights of DisCrit theory, Chinese cosmopolitanism, and the neurodiversity paradigm, this Dissertation-in-Practice seeks to improve the experiences of multiply marginalized students, in particular, those with additional needs, who inhabit a unique context: Sandy Field Elementary (pseudonym), an international school in Hong Kong. In this metropolitan, Asian setting, the cultural priorities of competition, achievement, and fitting in are inflated by the stigma of mental health challenges and neurodiversity—just as the compounding forces of discrimination intersect—creating a perfect storm for a “wicked problem.” Through application of a transformative leadership approach and Stroh’s four-stage change process, this endeavour to improve students’ sense of belonging and dignity commits to deeply engaging the school’s partner collaborators, including families and students, in a shared journey of inquiry, reflection, action, and transformation. This approach will leverage and empower the voices and hearts of school community members as they confront the current reality, co-construct a vision of hope, and expand and sustain reforms so that all students can benefit from changed mindsets and new practices around inclusion and equity.","abstract_html":"Despite the global commitments, efforts, and resources devoted to increasing belonging in school systems, countless students around the world continue to suffer from inequity and othering. This lack of effective inclusion is not due to the deficits in the biology of children nor the failings of their families, but rather, stems from the pervasive oppressive forces, including ableism and racism, that are deeply entrenched in the institutional philosophies, policies, and practices of schools—public and private, local and international. Anchored in the insights of DisCrit theory, Chinese cosmopolitanism, and the neurodiversity paradigm, this Dissertation-in-Practice seeks to improve the experiences of multiply marginalized students, in particular, those with additional needs, who inhabit a unique context: Sandy Field Elementary (pseudonym), an international school in Hong Kong. In this metropolitan, Asian setting, the cultural priorities of competition, achievement, and fitting in are inflated by the stigma of mental health challenges and neurodiversity—just as the compounding forces of discrimination intersect—creating a perfect storm for a “wicked problem.” Through application of a transformative leadership approach and Stroh’s four-stage change process, this endeavour to improve students’ sense of belonging and dignity commits to deeply engaging the school’s partner collaborators, including families and students, in a shared journey of inquiry, reflection, action, and transformation. This approach will leverage and empower the voices and hearts of school community members as they confront the current reality, co-construct a vision of hope, and expand and sustain reforms so that all students can benefit from changed mindsets and new practices around inclusion and equity.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Van Borek, Aaron"],"institution":"The University of Western Ontario","degree_name":"Doctor of Education","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025","date_published":"2025","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:16Z","subjects":["belonging","inclusion","DisCrit","ableism","Chinese cosmopolitanism","transformative leadership"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/38638","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Van Borek, Aaron"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-08-27T19:42:04Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-08-27T19:42:04Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["The University of Western Ontario"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The University of Western Ontario"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["belonging","inclusion","DisCrit","ableism","Chinese cosmopolitanism","transformative leadership"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/38638"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Despite the global commitments, efforts, and resources devoted to increasing belonging in school systems, countless students around the world continue to suffer from inequity and othering. This lack of effective inclusion is not due to the deficits in the biology of children nor the failings of their families, but rather, stems from the pervasive oppressive forces, including ableism and racism, that are deeply entrenched in the institutional philosophies, policies, and practices of schools—public and private, local and international. Anchored in the insights of DisCrit theory, Chinese cosmopolitanism, and the neurodiversity paradigm, this Dissertation-in-Practice seeks to improve the experiences of multiply marginalized students, in particular, those with additional needs, who inhabit a unique context: Sandy Field Elementary (pseudonym), an international school in Hong Kong. In this metropolitan, Asian setting, the cultural priorities of competition, achievement, and fitting in are inflated by the stigma of mental health challenges and neurodiversity—just as the compounding forces of discrimination intersect—creating a perfect storm for a “wicked problem.” Through application of a transformative leadership approach and Stroh’s four-stage change process, this endeavour to improve students’ sense of belonging and dignity commits to deeply engaging the school’s partner collaborators, including families and students, in a shared journey of inquiry, reflection, action, and transformation. This approach will leverage and empower the voices and hearts of school community members as they confront the current reality, co-construct a vision of hope, and expand and sustain reforms so that all students can benefit from changed mindsets and new practices around inclusion and equity."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["At the Intersection of International, Neurodiverse, and \"Different\": Making Space for Inclusion and Belonging in Hong Kong"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Van Borek, Aaron"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-08-27T19:42:04Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-08-27T19:42:04Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025"],"dc:description.abstract":["Despite the global commitments, efforts, and resources devoted to increasing belonging in school systems, countless students around the world continue to suffer from inequity and othering. 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In this metropolitan, Asian setting, the cultural priorities of competition, achievement, and fitting in are inflated by the stigma of mental health challenges and neurodiversity—just as the compounding forces of discrimination intersect—creating a perfect storm for a “wicked problem.” Through application of a transformative leadership approach and Stroh’s four-stage change process, this endeavour to improve students’ sense of belonging and dignity commits to deeply engaging the school’s partner collaborators, including families and students, in a shared journey of inquiry, reflection, action, and transformation. 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