Skip to main content

Democratically Undemocratic: The Case of School Bullying

  • Chapter
International Handbook of Philosophy of Education

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

  • 4524 Accesses

Abstract

Is the United States a bully? This was the question posed to me as a presenter at a philosophy of education conference in Toronto not long ago. In my talk I did not mention the political landscape or, for that matter, the United States. But, the truth of the matter is that students, teachers, workers, bosses, spouses, and, yes, even countries often find themselves on one side or the other of the bullying equation. But, what is bullying and where does it fit in the democratic landscape? Along with defining bullying, discussing its many motivations, and suggesting a path forward, in this chapter I also argue that bullying is but one iteration of the eternally contentious case of the ‘other’.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 669.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 849.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 849.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

  • Benjamin, J. (1988). The bonds of love: Psychoanalysis, feminism, and the problem of domination. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, L. M. (2003). Girlfighting: Betrayal and rejection among girls. New York: New York University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coles, R. (1999). The secular mind. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craig, W., Harel-Fisch, Y., Fogel-Grinvald, H., Dostaler, S., Hetland, J., Simons-Morton, B., Molcho, M., de Mato, M. G., Overpeck, M., Due, P., & Pickett, W. (2009). A cross-national profile of bullying and victimization among adolescents in 40 countries. International Journal of Public Health, 54(Supplement 2), 216–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, R. D. (2004). The impact of family relationships on school bullies and their victims. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. M. (2003). Research on school bullying and victimization: What have we learned and where do we go from here? School Psychology Review, 32, 365–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. M. (2004). Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahway: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farley, R. L. (1999). Does a relationship exist between social perception, social intelligence and empathy for students with a tendency to be a bully, victim or bully/victim? Honours Thesis. Adelaide: Psychology Department, University of Adelaide.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1995/1977). Discipline & punish: The birth of the prison. New York: Vintage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadamer, H.-G. (1979). The problem of historical consciousness. In P. Rabinow (Ed.), Interpretive social science: A reader. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadamer, H.-G. (1996). Truth and method (2nd Rev. ed.). New York: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawley, P. H. (1999). The ontogenesis of social dominance: A strategy-based evolutionary perspective. Developmental Review, 19, 97–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holt, M. K., & Keyes, M. A. (2004). Teachers’ attitudes toward bullying. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoover, J. H., & Oliver, R. (1996). The bullying prevention handbook: A guide for principals, teachers, and counselors. Bloomington: National Educational Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, R. B. (2013). Rethinking school bullying: Dominance, identity and school culture. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, P. A. (2000). On Gadamer. Belmont: Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Juvonen, J., & Graham, S. (Eds.). (2001). Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized. New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasen, S., Berenson, K., Cohen, P., & Johnson, J. G. (2004). The effects of school climate on changes in aggressive and other behaviors related to bullying. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaukiainen, A., Bjorkqvist, K., Lagerspetz, K., Osterman, K., Salmivalli, C., Rothberg, S., & Ahlbom, A. (1999). The relationships between social intelligence, empathy, and three types of aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 25, 81–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malecki, C. K., & Demaray, M. K. (2004). The role of social support in the lives of bullies, victims, and bully-victims. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montes, G., & Halterman, J. S. (2007). Bullying among children with autism and the influence of comorbidity with ADHD: A population-based study. Ambulatory Pediatrics, 7(3), 253–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor, M., Foch, T., Todd, S., & Plomin, R. (1980). A twin study of specific behavioral problems of socialization as viewed by parents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 8, 189–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. D. (2001). Sampling instances of victimization in middle school: A methodological comparison. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 125–144). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. D., & Long, J. D. (2004). Part of the solution and part of the problem: The role of peers in bullying, dominance, and victimization during the transition from primary school through secondary school. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, A. (2002). Equals. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, K. (2002). New perspectives on bullying. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodkin, P. C. (2004). Peer ecologies of aggression and bullying. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheridan, S. M., Warnes, E. D., & Dowd, S. (2004). Home-school collaboration and bullying: An ecological approach to increase social competence in children and youth. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, R. (2002). Odd girl out: The hidden culture of aggression in girls. New York: Harcourt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, J., & Smith, P. K. (1999). Bullying as a group process: An adaptation of the participant role approach. Aggressive Behavior, 25, 97–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swearer, S. M., Grills, A. E., Haye, K. M., & Cary, P. T. (2004). Internalizing problems in students involved in bullying and victimization: Implications for intervention. In D. L. Espelage & S. M. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in American schools: A social-ecological perspective on prevention and intervention. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, M., Cohen, L. J., & Grace, C. O.’. N. (2001). Best friends, worst enemies: Understanding the social lives of children. New York: Ballantine.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald B. Jacobson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Jacobson, R.B. (2018). Democratically Undemocratic: The Case of School Bullying. In: Smeyers, P. (eds) International Handbook of Philosophy of Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72761-5_93

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72761-5_93

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-72759-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-72761-5

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics