"Places and Spaces": A Photovoice Study on Identity, Belonging, and Well-being among Students at a South African University

Understanding students’ perspectives on identity formation, belonging, and well-being can significantly inform the quality and impact of institutional strategies to foster environments that support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). While DEI efforts emphasise system-level policies and practices, the role of physical and symbolic places and spaces as important organizational contexts that can influence inclusion or exclusion remains underexplored. Drawing from theories on spatiality, liminal space, place-making, and psychogeography, this study explored students’ perspectives and lived experiences of identity, belonging, and well-being within a South African university. Using digital photovoice as a participatory research method, 21 students from two campuses participated in fieldwork, individual, and group interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and inductive content analysis. Three themes were identified: (1) spaces for constructing a sense of self and becoming, (2) spaces for making connections, mattering, and belonging, and (3) spaces for a balanced student life. The findings demonstrate that student identity, belonging, and well-being are interconnected, with campus places and spaces serving as key facilitators for this connection. Within the field of W-O Psychology, the study highlights the potential of Photovoice as an innovative method in DEI research and practices. This participation action method can be utilized to illustrate how organizing campus places and spaces can enhance student engagement, serve as a tool for empowerment to capture and communicate lived experiences, and lastly, inform institutional strategies that prioritize participation to promote systemic transformation