Abstract
This article discusses a Europe-wide project that aimed to promote Safer Schools through utilising a Charter of ‘democratic principles’. This included the non-violent resolution of conflicts and the right to equal treatment and respect. The first part of this article discusses the empirical findings from original research conducted with five London schools (and their local partners) who participated in this project. It was found that most participants were positive about the project's potential, with many ‘democratic initiatives’ cited as examples of how the promotion of a principled Charter could produce good practice in combating violence in schools. The second part of this article raises more fundamental questions about the role of democracy in violence prevention programmes. In particular, it questions the assumption of a direct relationship between (non)violence and democratic values, and asks whether it is possible to promote democratic principles within inherently undemocratic institutions such as schools.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bickmore, K. (2008) Citizenship in/action: Interpreting actual practices of peacekeeping and peacebuilding in Canadian urban schools [online]. Unpublished paper: University of Toronto, http://soc.kuleuven.be/iieb/ipraweb/papers/Citizenship%20In.Action.%20%20Interpreting%20Actual%20Practices%20of%20Peace%20Keeping%20and%20Peacebuilding%20in%20Canadian%20Urban%20Schools.pdf, accessed 7 October 2010.
Cowie, H., Hutson, N., Jennifer, D. and Myers, C. (2008) Taking stock of violence in UK schools: Risk, regulation and responsibility. Education and Urban Society 40 (4): 494–505.
Debarbieux, E., Blaya, C. and Vidal, D. (2003) Tackling violence in schools: A report from France. In: P.K. Smith (ed.) Violence in Schools: The Response in Europe. London: Routledge/Falmer, pp. 17–32.
Edwards, C.H. (2001) Student violence and the moral dimensions of education. Psychology in the Schools 38 (3): 249–257.
Farrington, D. (1996) Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime. York: York Publishing Services Ltd./Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Foucault, M. (1991) Governmentality. In: G. Burchell, C. Gordon and P. Miller (eds.) ‘The Foucault Effect': Studies in Governmentality. London: Harvester Wheatsheaf, pp. 87–104.
Galtung, J. (1996) Peace by Peaceful Means: Peace and Conflict, Development and Civilization. London: Sage.
Graham, J. and Bowling, B. (1995) Young People and Crime. London: Home Office. Home Office Research Study 145.
Hyman, I.A. and Snook, P.A. (2000) Dangerous schools and what you can do about them. Phi Delta Kappan 81 (7): 488–493.
Keane, J. (2004) Violence and Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lister, R. (2003) Investing in the citizen-workers of the future: Transformations in citizenship and the state under new labour. Social Policy & Administration 37 (5): 427–443.
Martin, D., Chatwin, C. and Porteous, D. (2011) Risky places, young peoples’ experiences of crime and victimisation at school and in the community. In: C. Hayden and D. Martin (eds.) Crime, Anti-Social Behaviour and Schools. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
McCluskey, G., Lloyd, G., Kane, J., Riddell, S., Steed, J. and Weedon, E. (2008) Can restorative practices in schools make a difference? Educational Review 60 (4): 405–417.
Ortega, R., Sanchez, V., Van Wassenhoven, L., Deboutte, G. and Deklerck, J. (2006) VISTA Unit A1: Understanding the definition and context of school violence [online], Violence in Schools Training Action (VISTA). http://vista-europe.org/downloads/Unit_A1_Definition_context_and_knowledge_of_school_violence.pdf, accessed 5 May 2011.
Plucker, J.A. (2000) Positive approaches to preventing school violence: Peace building in schools and communities. NASSP Bulletin 84 (614): 1–4.
Rutter, M., Maughan, B., Mortimore, P. and Ouston, J. (1979) Fifteen Thousand Hours. Secondary Schools and their Effects on Children. Shepton Mallet: Open Books Publishing Ltd.
Sellman, E. (2011) Peer mediation services for conflict resolution in schools: What transformations in activity characterise successful implementation? British Educational Research Journal 37 (1): 45–60.
Watkins, C., Mauther, M., Hewitt, R., Epstein, D. and Leonard, D. (2007) School violence, school differences and school discourses. British Educational Research Journal 33 (1): 61–74.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Holt, A., Martin, D., Hayden, C. et al. Schooled in democracy? Promoting democratic values as a whole-school approach to violence prevention. Crime Prev Community Saf 13, 205–217 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/cpcs.2011.6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/cpcs.2011.6