Violence in Schools: South Africa in an International Context

Abstract

This is the first book to comprehensively examine the significant issue of violence in South African schools. It does so in several important ways. First, by setting South Africa in an international context. South Africa is not alone in experiencing violence in schools and this book examines the nature of the school violence in a wide range of national contexts. South African educationalists can learn from the experience of others and vice versa. Second, this book does not just describe violence in schools but seeks to understand and explain it as an essentially social phenomenon. We need to understand why violence occurs in schools if we are to begin to reduce or eliminate it. Third, it provides an analytical framework for considering the sources or origins of violence in schools—whether the violence is generated externally, internally by omission or internally in a direct fashion. Understanding the source of violence is also important in designing policies and practices for reducing violence in schools. Fourth, it provides real life case studies of schools in South Africa to help in analysing the natures and causes of violence in schools. Fifth and based on existing research and practice, it provides detailed advice on how schools—and teacher education institutions—can help to reduce violence through their management, professionalism, implementation of school safety procedures and use of curriculum. Finally, it also provides an extensive bibliography on school violence in South Africa and elsewhere for further reference. This book will be of interest and use to educational policy makers, educational administrators, head teachers and teachers, academics and students concerned with education and those who work in non-governmental organisations that work with the educational sector.