Violence in South Korean schools and the relevance of peace education

Kwon, Soonjung (2015). Violence in South Korean schools and the relevance of peace education. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis aims to explore and analyse the culture of violence which is, arguably, deeply embedded in South Korean schooling and to suggest how this can be re-directed towards a culture of peace through peace education. In order to achieve this goal, fieldwork was conducted for a year, employing \(critical\) \(ethnography\) and \(case\) \(studies\). Data gained from this fieldwork were analysed and discussed within the conceptual frameworks of \(Bourdieu’s\) \(symbolic\) \(violence\) and peace education theories – \(Hick’s\) \(defining\) \(peace\) in particular.

This finding of this thesis fall into four parts: \(some\) \(selected\) \(cultural\) \(elements\) \(of\) \(everyday\) \(school\) \(life\); \(symbolized\) \(and\) \(institutionalized\) \(violence\); \(authoritative\) \(school\) \(management\) \(and\) \(increasingly\) \(atypical\) \(employment\); \(and\) \(how\) \(to\) \(change\) \(this\) \(culture\) \(of\) \(violence\) \(to\) \(peace\): \(possibilities\) \(of\) \(peace\) \(education\)? These findings are discussed in relation to theories to show the ways in which socio-historical backgrounds and ideologies (e.g. colonized false ideologies) are infused in South Korean schools fostering a culture of violence, and the extent to which peace education may be relevant for changing the status quo by changing individuals’ value bases, which, it is hoped, can bring changes to the wider society. Four themes are discussed: \(school\) \(habitus\), \(experienced\) \(as\) \(necessary\) \(in\) \(the\) \(field\); \(symbolic\) \(violence\) \(in\) \(classrooms\): \(misrecognizing\) \(the\) \(procedures\) \(of\) \(education\); \(and\) \(defining\) \(peace\) \(in\) \(classrooms\); \(pedagogical\) \(change\), \(the\) \(possible\) \(educative\) \(remedy\) \(of\) \(transforming\) \(individuals\) \(to\) \(contribute\) \(to\) \(a\) \(culture\) \(of\) \(peace\).

Throughout the thesis, educational implications are elicited and subjected to scrutiny.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):