Reframing school bullying: The question of power and its analytical implications

Abstract

The past 30 years has seen a significant increase in research interest and public discussion about school bullying and an associated diversification in perspectives on the issue. In attempting to bridge divisions between different research paradigms, there have been calls for cross-paradigmatic dialogue. In this short think piece, I seek to facilitate such dialogue by addressing the question of power and considering its analytical implications for school bullying research, anti-bullying initiatives, and education more generally. In doing so, I relate the discussion to the various systems of the widely used social–ecological framework. I argue that a focus on power suggests a need for more consideration of the various levels of the social–ecological framework, more consideration of the importance of social difference, and more consideration of the importance of the school context and issues of power and resistance therein.

The fear of being singled out: pupils’ perspectives on victimisation and bystanding in bullying situations

“…Calling on pupils to intervene in or report bullying situations fails to adequately account for the stigma processes involved and the risks associated with intervening and reporting. This study highlights the importance of working preventively in schools, classrooms and peer groups, by acknowledging the interconnectedness of social categorisations, stigma processes and broader societal power relations, and promoting inclusive social relations based on understanding and openness to difference (Davies 2011;Horton 2019b;Jacobson 2007;Walton 2015). Thus, rather than simply encouraging individual pupils to intervene as 'defenders' , or to report bullying situations, our findings point to the importance of building caring and supportive school, classroom and peer cultures together with pupils, wherein there is a collective readiness to stand up for 'victims' and wherein there is no longer a need to fear being singled out.…”

“…As Goffman (1983, 8) pointed out, people can be sorted both individually and categorically, but such 'people-processing encounters' are situational and connected to broader social structures such as age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, class, and so on. Hence, the identification of a pupil as 'small' , 'weak' , or as having the wrong clothing style, can be understood in terms of broader social structures related to gender, sexuality, and class, for example (Davies 2011;Horton 2011Horton , 2019bPascoe 2013;Ringrose and Renold 2010;Thornberg 2018;Walton 2011).…”

‘Because I am me': school bullying and the presentation of self in everyday school life

“…Indeed, Volk, Veenstra, and Espelage (2017) argue that a power imbalance is what 'most clearly differentiates bullying from other forms of aggression' (35). Despite the centrality of power to understandings of bullying, there has been relatively little discussion of the relationship between bullying and power (Bansel et al 2009;Davies 2011;Walton, 2011;Horton 2020). Vaillancourt, Hymel, and McDougall (2003) point to the importance of social power and suggest that it is important to distinguish between two different kinds of social power: 'implicit and explicit social power' (159).…”

School bullying and the ongoing social dynamics: A thematic analysis of young peoples' perspectives on a specific bullying case

“…Indeed, the social landscape in which they navigate appears to construct very fragile positions that are affected by the attitudes of their social groups. The participants' perspectives point to how positions can change and how implicit social power seems to circulate as it is constituted in an ongoing interaction (Horton, 2019;Pascoe, 2013) but always involves inclusion and exclusion processes (Horton, 2019). The findings focus on what social dynamics the participants disclose and how social positions change and are fragile due to the same.…”

“…Whereas explicit social power refers to strength, size, and aggressive behaviour, implicit social power refers to high social status and/or competence (Vaillancourt et al, 2003). By making distinctions between explicit and implicit social power, Vaillancourt et al, (2003) point to the importance of social relations and social positioning, which in turn addresses how social power circulates and is constituted in ongoing interaction (Horton, 2019;Pascoe, 2013) that always involves inclusion and exclusion processes (Horton, 2019). Indeed, more recent contributors investigate bullying from a broader perspective evolving from a complex interplay of factors (Horton, 2016;Thornberg, 2015) and recognise bullying as a group phenomenon (Lyng, 2018;Thornberg, 2015).…”