Portrayals of Bullying in Young Adult Literature: Considerations for Schools

Authors

  • Janette Hughes University of Ontario Institute of Technology
  • Jennifer Lynn Laffier UNIVERSITY OF ONTARIO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

In this article, the authors examine how bullying is portrayed in three recent young adult novels, focusing specifically on whether the information about bullying is accurate, biased, or represents old myths in comparison to current research. The authors conduct a systematic analysis of the following four themes: (1) What is bullying? (2) Who are the bullies? (3) Who are the victims? (4) Who are the bystanders and what role do they play? They conclude by arguing for the inclusion of young adult fiction that deals with sensitive issues as a way to promote awareness, empathy, and social change to empower youth in school settings.

 

Author Biographies

Janette Hughes, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Dr. Janette Hughes is an Associate Professor at UOIT and the Canadian Research Chair for the Faculty of Education.

Jennifer Lynn Laffier, UNIVERSITY OF ONTARIO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Dr. Jennifer Laffier is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at UOIT.

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Published

2016-09-14

How to Cite

Hughes, J., & Laffier, J. L. (2016). Portrayals of Bullying in Young Adult Literature: Considerations for Schools. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue Canadienne De l’éducation, 39(3), 1–24. Retrieved from https://journals.sfu.ca/cje/index.php/cje-rce/article/view/2150

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Section

Articles