Social imaginaries of bullying among students at the Oswaldo Quintana Educational Institution in Valledupar, Colombia
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Abstract
School bullying, commonly known as bullying, represents a social problem of great magnitude that negatively impacts educational communities worldwide. The social imaginaries that are constructed around this phenomenon have a decisive influence on the way students perceive and experience it. The present research was conducted under the interpretative paradigm and qualitative approach, using the ethnographic method to understand in depth the dynamics of this problem. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with students from the Oswaldo Quintana Educational Institution, including 10 boys and girls, in addition to participant observation in six focus groups, with participants ranging in age from 10 to 18 years old.
Social imaginaries not only played a crucial role as a theoretical and methodological tool, but also allowed us to interpret the different dynamics of bullying within the school context, identifying different types of bullying: verbal, physical, social, cyber and sexual. Justifications for these practices were also detected, based on religious beliefs, physical characteristics, socio-economic level and academic performance of the affected students. It is crucial that the educational community, based on these social imaginaries, develop a deep understanding of the problem and focus on the creation of pedagogical and didactic strategies that promote values such as respect, empathy and inclusion. These actions should be aimed at building a safe and violence-free school environment, where a culture of healthy coexistence is fostered and discriminatory practices are minimised. The promotion of attitudes that favour an inclusive environment is vital to prevent and eradicate bullying in all its forms, protecting the well-being of all students.