Multiperspectivity on School Bullying is unique in providing a comprehensive account of school bullying from the perspectives of schools, teachers, parents, students and institutional authorities. It identifies diverse viewpoints and discusses their implications for addressing bullying and thereby improving the mental health and well-being of children. Drawing on findings from studies conducted in a wide range of countries, including those undertaken by the author in his own country, Australia, this book examines experiences of bullying and debates around how bullying can be best understood, managed and discouraged. It outlines what is needed before an agreed understanding of the problem can be reached and more effective anti-bullying programs devised and implemented. The book examines both historical and cultural factors relating to bullying and violence; major theoretical and research perspectives on bullying; views of different social groups affected by bullying; and how different institutional authorities view school bullying. It highlights the need for a multiperspectivity approach to bullying, taking into account and evaluating a variety of viewpoints that are currently held. This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and students in the fields of bullying, wellbeing and mental health in schools. It will also be valuable reading for educational leaders around the globe.

Bullying in Schools: How Successful Can Interventions Be? is a comparative account of the major intervention projects against school bullying that have been carried out by educationalists and researchers since the 1980s, across Europe, North America and Australasia. Bullying in schools has become an international focus for concern. It can adversely affect pupils and in extreme cases lead to suicide. Schools can take action to reduce bullying and several programs are available but do they work? In fact, success rates have been very varied. This book surveys thirteen studies and eleven countries. Working on the principle that we can learn from both successes and failures, it examines the processes as well as the outcomes, and critically assesses the likely reasons for success or failure. With contributions from leading researchers in the field, Bullying in Schools is an important addition to the debate on tackling school bullying.

Multiperspectivity on School Bullying is unique in providing a comprehensive account of school bullying from the perspectives of schools, teachers, parents, students and institutional authorities. It identifies diverse viewpoints and discusses their implications for addressing bullying and thereby improving the mental health and well-being of children. Drawing on findings from studies conducted in a wide range of countries, including those undertaken by the author in his own country, Australia, this book examines experiences of bullying and debates around how bullying can be best understood, managed and discouraged. It outlines what is needed before an agreed understanding of the problem can be reached and more effective anti-bullying programs devised and implemented. The book examines both historical and cultural factors relating to bullying and violence; major theoretical and research perspectives on bullying; views of different social groups affected by bullying; and how different institutional authorities view school bullying. It highlights the need for a multiperspectivity approach to bullying, taking into account and evaluating a variety of viewpoints that are currently held. This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and students in the fields of bullying, wellbeing and mental health in schools. It will also be valuable reading for educational leaders around the globe.

Bullying in Schools: How Successful Can Interventions Be? is the first comparative account of the major intervention projects against school bullying that have been carried out by educationalists and researchers since the 1980s, across Europe, North America and Australasia. Bullying in schools has become an international focus for concern. It can adversely affect pupils and in extreme cases lead to suicide. Schools can take action to reduce bullying and several programs are available but do they work? In fact, success rates have been very varied. This book surveys thirteen studies and eleven countries. Working on the principle that we can learn from both successes and failures, it examines the processes as well as the outcomes, and critically assesses the likely reasons for success or failure. With contributions from leading researchers in the field, Bullying in Schools is an important addition to the current debate on tackling school bullying.

Using up-to-date studies, Bullying in Schools helps us to understand the nature of bullying and why it so often takes place in schools. Importantly, it examines and evaluates what schools can do to promote more positive peer relationships within the school community and take effective and sustainable action to deal with problems that may arise. Teachers, parents, school leaders, policy makers, and health professionals will find it invaluable and empowering.

Extremely useful background reading for pre- and in service teachers especially, but not only, of pre-adults.' -The Teacher Trainer 'There are no muddled thoughts or fudging of issues here; Rigby deals head on with difficult issues, and the book has a nice literary style that is a pleasure to read - an ambitious and creditable achievement, with many excellent sections that break new ground while remaining equally accessible to practitioners and researchers.' - Educational Research 'This book is written in a lively style, and is comprehensive.' - Professional Social Work 'Ken Rigby's important book, New Perspectives on Bullying, is a useful drawing together of a range of research on bullying and should prove a good general reference point.' - Cambridge Journal of Education 'Anyone developing a policy on dealing with bullying should read this book.' - Prime Focus 'Rigby's book is a fantastic reference source for anyone who is at all concerned with, or interested in, the issue of bullying. It could well serve as a springboard for a multitude of research projects. At the very least, the book will provide you with a summary of the very latest research on the subject.' - Prime Focus 'Written by Ken Rigby, this draws on the author's extensive research to examine how bullying is being understood in different societies and offers critical appraisal of the suggested ways of tackling it. The author defines bullying as the systematic abuse of power, therefore making it a vital issue for society at large - not just schools but the workplace, prison and the home.' - Young People Now Magazine 'This book is an attempt to descibe how the problem of bullying has been, and is being, conceptualised and understood; to explain what researchers and educators (and others) are saying about why there is so much bullying going on; and to examine what solutions are being canvassed... Bullying is a phenomenon one can literally find everywhere. It is time that our perspective on bullying extended further afield. In a way, this book is a testing of the water. It is the first book that has attempted to examine bullying comprehensively. If I am right in thinking that an examination of bullying as "the systematic abuse of power" is an issue that is of vital importance to society at large, then it should indeed be useful to consider bullying in a wide range of contexts: not only in schools, the workplace and prisons, but also and especially in the home, long the preserve of students of domestic violence.' - Ken Rigby, from the Preface This book takes as its subject matter bullying behaviour in a wide range of settings, including kindergartens, schools, the workplace, in sports and prisons. Examining bullying in each of these areas, it discusses alternative views and perspectives on bullying, helping policy makers and professionals to coordinate their work and so tackle the problem effectively. Dr Ken Rigby draws upon his extensive research into bullying in different countries, societies and social contexts and considers many aspects of victimisation within this broad perspective, including: * the defining characteristics of bullying * the harm that bullying does * the role of gender, race and culture * children's and adult's attitudes to, and perceptions of bullying * current views on methods of prevention and intervention This multi-faceted exploration will help to deepen understanding of bullying in its many manifestations. It also provides practical and critical discussion of suggested ways of tackling bullying for professionals dealing with it in their field, providing valuable guidance in combating an ever-present problem.

In Ken Rigby’s latest book on bullying in schools, the renowned international expert provides an in-depth, research-based examination of the Method of Shared Concern. Originally conceived by Swedish Psychologist Anatol Pikas, and adapted in line with ground-breaking government-sponsored studies in Australia, The Method of Shared Concern describes the multi-stage process in which suspected bullies and their victims are individually interviewed, and eventually brought together in an effort to reach resolution. Intended primarily for use by teachers and school counsellors The Method of Shared Concern demonstrates through practical examples and real-world case studies how the method can be applied in any school environment, as one important way in which cases of bullying can be effectively managed. Guided by a trained practitioner, the students themselves are actively engaged and rather than being labelled or blamed, they are empowered with a heightened sense of responsibility and empathy toward each other and their school.

This book provides the background to the research that was conducted using the Peer Relations Assessment Questionnaire (PRAQ) for the Criminology Research Council. The resulting qualitative and quantitative data on how schools in Australia have dealt with bullying is provided. It also describes specific policies, plans and activities that schools have been able to implement to counter bullying. The effectiveness and impact of various approaches in working with the whole school, introducing pro-social curriculum content and dealing with specific bullying incidents are also discussed. Based on the research and experience, advice and guidance is given on implementing effective anti-bullying strategies within the school.

Bullying in Schools is based on Ken Rigby's first-hand knowledge of this problem. Much of his understanding comes from his research at the University of South Australia on the responses of over 20,000 students to bullying in their schools. This important study offers useful ways of tackling this issue: strategies to identify both bullies and victims ways to diffuse potentially troublesome situations ways to enhance the self-esteem of the victims methods of dealing with bullies that are not punitive and damaging but can help to make the abuser more aware of how the victim feels. The key to reducing bullying lies in schools embracing an ethos in which it is impossible for this sort of abuse to flourish. Professor Rigby demonstrates that positive steps can be taken and the incidence of this form of harassment can be reduced significantly. All those involved in the education and welfare of children would find this passionate and motivating book invaluable. Both empowering and positive, it is a book that offers hope to all our children.