Springer School Bullying and Marginalisation: Harmonising Paradigms

This book addresses, and seeks to harmonise, different paradigms for understanding school bullying. It sets out to examine two paradigms for conceptualising bullying, and the worldviews that underpin them. It uses a complex systems perspective to bring the two paradigms together in a holistic fashion. By doing so, it creates an integrated framework for conceptualising the many individual, relational and societal factors that are in dynamic interaction and play a part in promoting or reducing school bullying. This book draws upon a number of disciplines by way of background, including evolutionary, child development and social psychological theories of group behaviour and identity. It proposes that the human need for belonging is central to understanding bullying, and situates the topic within an understanding of gender and children’s human rights, bringing philosophical and moral perspectives to bear. It discusses practical ways forward, presents a systemic approach to bullying and application of complex adaptive systems methods to bullying research and evaluation. It serves as an introduction to such methods and suggests further creative ideas for policy, intervention practice, and teacher education about bullying. From the Back Cover This book addresses, and seeks to harmonise, different paradigms for understanding school bullying. It sets out to examine two paradigms for conceptualising bullying, and the worldviews that underpin them. It uses a complex systems perspective to bring the two paradigms together in a holistic fashion. By doing so, it creates an integrated framework for conceptualising the many individual, relational and societal factors that are in dynamic interaction and play a part in promoting or reducing school bullying. This book draws upon a number of disciplines by way of background, including evolutionary, child development and social psychological theories of group behaviour and identity. It proposes that the human need for belonging is central to understanding bullying, and situates the topic within an understanding of gender and children’s human rights, bringing philosophical and moral perspectives to bear. It discusses practical ways forward, presents a systemic approach to bullying and application of complex adaptive systems methods to bullying research and evaluation. It serves as an introduction to such methods and suggests further creative ideas for policy, intervention practice, and teacher education about bullying. About the Author Professor Rosalyn Shute has a BSc (Hons.) in Psychology from the University of London, a PhD from the University of Wales, is a Chartered Psychologist in the United Kingdom and a former clinical psychologist in Australia. She has taught developmental psychology, coordinated and taught on postgraduate courses in clinical and educational psychology (Flinders University, Adelaide) and been Professor and Director of Psychology (University of Ballarat, now Federation University, Australia). Rosalyn has also provided hospital-based paediatric psychology services. She has held research grants and published widely in areas related to the wellbeing of young people, including school peer relationships and girls’ mental health, and given invited presentations in several countries. She has won awards for linking theory with practice in relation to peer victimisation, and for producing engaging scholarly writing. Products of her previous collaborations with Professor Phillip Slee include a book on theories of child development covering both traditional psychological and postmodern perspectives, and edited volumes addressing mental health through schools. In retirement, she continues her research through an Adjunct Professorship at Flinders University of South Australia.  Professor Phillip T. Slee is Professor in Human Development at Flinders University of South Australia and is a trained teacher and registered psychologist. He