Original Research
Learners’ constructions of bullying in a South African school context
The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa | Vol 13, No 1 | a391 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/td.v13i1.391
| © 2017 Zibeleni L. Hlophe, Pholoho J. Morojele, Ncamsile D. Motsa
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 October 2016 | Published: 31 July 2017
Submitted: 28 October 2016 | Published: 31 July 2017
About the author(s)
Zibeleni L. Hlophe, School of Education, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaPholoho J. Morojele, Department of Research, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Ncamsile D. Motsa, School of Education, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Abstract
Drawing on social constructionism as a theoretical paradigm, this article foregrounds learners’ voices to depict the profiles of bullies and bullying victims within a cultural context of one coeducational secondary school in Hammarsdale in South Africa. The article uses qualitative data from semi-structured individual and focus group interviews as well as a participatory mapping exercise based on a narrative study of six purposefully sampled Grade 9 learners, aged between 13 and 16 years. The findings denote learners’ social identities such as gender, sexual orientation, economic status, age, stature and complexion as critical determinants in the incitement and formation of bully–victim relations. The complex forms, causes and spaces of bullying are highlighted to denote its pervasiveness and the extent of the school’s illpreparedness to effectively respond to bullying incidents. The study recommends education policy and practice reformists foreground learners’ understanding and experiences of bullying as a basis for enhancing social inclusiveness, tolerance and safe schooling environments, for enhanced equitable quality of learning experiences for all the learners.
Keywords
bullying; identities; perpetrators; safe schooling; South Africa; victims
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Crossref Citations
1. Children’s Experiences of Bullying Victimization and the Influence on Their Subjective Well-Being: a Population-Based Study
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