Title

The Construction of School Bullying as a Social Problem

Publication Date

3-1-2018

Document Type

Book Chapter

Abstract

During the early twenty-first century, school bullying emerged as a social problem of epidemic proportions within academic, news media, and public discourse in the United States. Bullying has been linked to other social problems, such as mass school shootings and youth suicide. In this chapter we trace the evolution of school bullying as a social problem within academia and news media. We identify how this discourse has expanded the conceptualization and domain of school bullying and has stirred public hysteria. We also discuss how conflicting explanations of school bullying have led to confused responses at the individual, institutional, and sociocultural levels. Finally, we argue that efforts to reduce school bullying have criminalized youth behavior. We offer suggestions for a more effective approach to bullying research and prevention.

Publication Title

The Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems

Volume

2

First Page

237

Last Page

252

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