Reconciliatory socialization: Conceptualizing the experiences of Evangelical Christian doctoral students in secular higher education

Abstract

Weidman, Twale and Stein’s (2001) model of graduate student socialization has served as a theoretical starting point for understanding the experiences of doctoral students. Although a number of scholars have critiqued the model for failing to account for the unique experiences of different student groups, none has specifically approached the model with Evangelical Christian doctoral students in mind. Building on the literature on Evangelical Christian students in secular higher education, this article offers a reconceptualization of Weidman et al.’s (2001) model that accounts for the unique experiences of Evangelical Christian doctoral students in secular higher education. This revised model, called reconciliatory socialization, serves as a conceptual framework by which to conduct empirical research on the experiences of Evangelical Christian doctoral students in secular settings.