RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
Interrogating Proof Norms: “It’s kind of like telling me, ‘Oh, act like a robot.’”
Page: 865
We draw on poststructuralism to interrogate assumptions of what counts as “normal” in proof. Guided by post-qualitative inquiry, we share moments from an unstructured interview with an undergraduate student, Sherine, alongside research literature to question two dominant proof norms: depersonalization and the absence of the problem-solving process. Our interrogations reveal how proof norms potentially reinforce messages that exclude relationality, storytelling, and emotional connection from the proof process, as well as newcomers to proof who benefit from seeing the nonlinear process of problem-solving. We argue for broadening what gets recognized as legitimate proof, where proofs can be both formal and personal, polished and messy, logical and human.