Wayfinding college: a narrative inquiry case study of micro-college kinship based in queer kinship theory

Petersen, Mira E. (2023) Wayfinding college: a narrative inquiry case study of micro-college kinship based in queer kinship theory. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

Our current education systems are rooted in colonial heteropatriarchal paradigms that focus on production and individualization, rather than focusing on what makes us human: hands, heart, and mind. Beyond our sense of belonging as humans, the kinship that we feel allows us to connect with others on a deeper level in order to create a holistic and just world. Micro-colleges are starting to become more popular in the United States and tend to focus on how an institution rooted in alternative education models and with a small number of people can foster well-rounded students. Wayfinding College, one micro-college in Portland, OR, chose to focus their curriculum on self and society in order to foster personal growth in students. To ask how these spaces fostered kinship, I spoke with 5 alumni from Wayfinding to ask about their stories during their time at the College. Key findings showed that, while participants did not use the kinship language found in theory, they did experience aspects of kinship from their shared experience at the College. Future research may further explore long-term effects of studying at Wayfinding or explore other micro-colleges to see how this case study compares to other institutions

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	alternative education; micro-college; queer kinship; sustainable communities; Wayfinding College; Portland, Oregon; Microcolleges
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Social and Behavioral Science > Sustainable Communities
Date Deposited:	28 Jul 2026 16:38
Last Modified:	28 Jul 2026 16:38
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6317

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