User:Prem Krishna Aryal

EXPLORING SCHOOL VIOLENCE IN THARU, MAGAR AND MUSLIM CHILDREN OF NEPAL

Author: Dr Prem Krishna Aryal

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to research into the phenomenon of school violence, its diverse causes, consequences, and prevention strategies, as a significant aspect of my PhD journey at Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur. I have adopted a concurrent embedded research mixed methods approach, where I have placed greater emphasis on qualitative exploration compared to quantitative (QUAN) methods. This emphasis aligns with the research's central focus on humanism and relativism perspectives, thus prioritizing subjective over objective reality. Through this approach, I have seamlessly integrated quantitative data into qualitative textual themes or codes. The foundational philosophy of this study is pragmatism, complemented by grounded theory methodology. The research involves multiple case studies within Tharu, Magar, and Muslim communities. Key research participants encompass parents, teachers, students, and members of the school management committees from these communities. I have also examined the perspectives on school violence from 834 respondents through opinion surveys. These surveys involved Tharu, Magar, and Muslim students from six schools, including a Madrasa. The data gathered from these diverse cases underwent thematic analysis and theoretical interpretation to reinforce the findings derived from qualitative data.

The study revealed that school violence is a behaviour rooted in human actions. It manifests in various forms, ranging from corporal punishments to bullying and sexual abuses. These manifestations of school violence have been shaped by knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours that have developed through socio-cultural and religious practices. Power dynamics, pedagogical approaches, responses to pain, and the pursuit of pleasure further contribute to the perpetuation of violence.

Applying the cause-and-effect theory, I determined that school violence operates as a self-perpetuating cycle. Bullying, sexual abuse, and corporal punishment serve as pivotal junctures within this cycle. The underlying behavioural causes reinforce the continuation of this harmful cycle within the educational institutions of the Tharu, Magar, and Muslim communities. In contrast, the preventive strategies varied across these communities. Additionally, I identified that incidents of corporal punishment, bullying, and sexual abuse tend to be situationally driven, influenced by cultural, religious, and community norms and practices.

The above findings emphasize the potential of the self-awareness and self-management theory to protect children from becoming victims of violence. Concurrently, external support mechanisms like policies, legislation, reporting systems, and case management play a vital role in reducing instances of school violence. Introducing creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and effective communication into the teaching and learning process empowers students, contributing significantly to the reduction of school violence. This approach equips children with the tools to embrace nonviolent and collaborative behaviors, fostering a positive change. Furthermore, the process of unlearning and relearning, facilitated through critical thinking techniques and a lens of relativism towards violence, emerges as a pivotal strategy in curtailing school violence. This strategy allows for the deconstruction of preexisting knowledge and the reconstruction of attitudes, leading to a tangible reduction in incidents of violence within educational settings.