ERIC Number: EJ1477557
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1744-9642
EISSN: EISSN-1744-9650
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Why Do Victims Remain Silent? An Ethical Reflection on the Phenomenon of School Bullying in China
Ethics and Education, v20 n2-3 p257-278 2025
School bullying is widespread, and a common phenomenon is that those who are bullied remain silent, rather than talking about their experiences. This paper explores a case of victim silence through the recollections of a woman who was bullied at school. Drawing on Levinas' concept of the 'Other' and the notion of the 'underworld', we analyse why victims remain silent and the educational issues underpinning their silence. The study shows that children create their own world, with unique social rules and secrecy norms that exclude adults. Educators often ignore this hidden world, choosing control over listening. This paper argues for a shift from a logic of control to a logic of listening in education, where teachers welcome and respond to students as Others. In doing so, schools can foster an ethical relationship that affirms dignity and rejects bullying.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Bullying, Ethics, Victims, Reflection, Educational Philosophy, Middle Schools, Educational Experience, Teacher Student Relationship, Parent Child Relationship, Self Disclosure (Individuals)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Institute of High Quality Education Development, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China; 2Institute of Education, UCL, London, UK