Communities of Liberal Learning as Social Spaces

The authors examine the ways in which the residential liberal arts college as a social space fosters habits of association in ways that are profound (e.g., collective student response to social issues involving race or gender dynamics on campus) and mundane (e.g., learning to live compatibly with others in tight dormitory quarters). Further, through case study analysis, the authors argue that it is within the context of these social spaces that young adults gain experience in building community with others significantly different from themselves.