The Role of Extracurricular Activities in Fostering Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This paper has been designed to investigate the role of extracurricular activities in fostering diversity and inclusion in higher education using a systematic review. Portraying a comprehensive analysis of published research documents from diverse academic contexts, the study synthesizes several findings from the past few decades to explore how participation in extracurricular engagements including sports, volunteer initiatives, cultural events, academic clubs, and student organizations contributes to inclusive campus environments in higher education. The review highlights that these activities provide critical platforms for cross-cultural dialogue, social interaction, and community building among students from different cultural, socio-economic, and geographical residential backgrounds. This study has been based on the published research documents extracted from digital databases including Google Scholar, Web of Science, Sage, Tylor & Francis, Springer Nature, Emerald Insights, etc. Researchers continued to extract data on the subject till reaching the point of saturation (135 published research documents). Thematic analysis has been done to present the qualitative data. The findings emphasize that extracurricular participation diminishes social exclusion, enhances students' sense of belonging, and empowers diminished groups by supporting mutual respect and equity. Through an intersectional lens, the review also studies how factors such as social class, gender of the student, residential background of students, and cultural differences interact with extracurricular activities to shape students' experiences of inclusion.

Keywords: Extracurricular Activity, Social Class, Diversity, Inclusivity, Higher Education