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The School Mediation to Confront Violence and

Bullying due to Cultural Diversity

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Georgios Nikolaou
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Chapter 19: The School Mediation to Confront
Violence and Bullying due to Cultural Diversity

Georgios Nikolaou, Theodoros Thanos, and Eleni Samsari

Introduction
Violence and aggression have been examined systematically over the years,
taking into account their powerful connection with human nature. School
violence is considered to be a phenomenon which concerns teachers, parents and
students as well. However, incidents of violence which were observed within the
school environment, were initially approached by jurists, as they were related to
juvenile violence and delinquency (, 2001, 2006).
During the last decades school bullying appears as a special form of school
violence and attracts international attention of scientists in the field of education,
who examine the complicated aspects of the phenomenon and realize the
seriousness of the problem. Although the findings of recent studies allow us to
become aware of the issue and to understand some of its basic features, the
association between school bullying and cultural diversity is still an object of
investigation.
The confrontation of the phenomenon is difficult especially when non-native
students are involved. Regardless of the various anti-bullying programs or
policies that are applied nationally or within the school unit, school mediation
could be the starting point in order to deal with an incident of school bullying,
focusing separately on each problem that takes place in a school, and on its
unique aspects.

Defining School Violence and School Bullying

The term of violence varies according to the scientific approach but also
according to the social and the cultural context in which it appears
(, 2001;, 2012;, 2013). he concept of
violence is defined as an intentional behavior which is exerted in order to
threaten or to cause physical or psychological damage towards another person or
even towards himself (, 2003).

1
THE SCHOOL MEDIATION TO CONFRONT VIOLENCE AND BULLYING 2

Specifically, school violence refers to a series of infractions which take

place within school context (, 2013). Some of its primary features are
the imposition of will, the cause of damage or injury and the threat of bullying,
maltreatment and abuse (, 2001). Students tend to describe school
violence as the cause of physical damage, annoyance, insult or as a form of
threatening, blackmailing and coercion. However, the majority of students report
that the appearance of violence is not related to specific causes (,
& , 2013). Although incidents of school violence are often
observed and the presence of the phenomenon within schools is verified, the
amount of evidence for the expansion of the problem is not sufficient
(-, 1995). Various methodological issues which appear
throughout the research, lead to unambiguous conclusions as for the dimensions
of the problem (, 2001;, 2009).
The most common forms of school violence are physical, verbal, non-verbal
violence, psychological violence, teasing, exclusion, rumor spreading, sexual
violence and cyber-bullying (, 2009). Vandalism is also included as a
form of school violence. According to teachers of primary education, students
tend to use mostly verbal violence, teasing and physical violence (, 2012).
School bullying is considered to be a special and a harmful form of school
violence (, 2013). Comparing school violence and school bullying, it is
clear that school violence has a wider content and such incidents do not usually
have a great duration. Although there are plenty of definitions for the
phenomenon of school bullying (see Rigby, 2008 , 2011), there
are some basic features which characterize school bullying. Specifically, school
bullying includes repetition, duration, desire/intention to cause harm and
tendency to demonstrate power (physical, affective and cognitive power) and
prevalence towards weaker people (i.e., imbalance of power) and usually towards
peers (, 2009).
However, there is not a consensus among scientists as for the definitional
characteristics of school bullying. For example, according to Rigby (2008) the
attitude that incidents of school bullying are not serious, when they take place
only once, is completely wrong and the phenomenon should not be ignored even
in this case. Other studies (, 2001; , &
, 2013; , 2009; , 2013), prove that an important
problem is the reaction of children-victims. The majority of them remain silent
and they do not report the incident to anyone. Therefore, the perception, which
prevails as for the expansion of the phenomenon, does not respond to the true
situation and it becomes even more difficult to deal with the problem.
Another parameter of school bullying which is not deeply investigated
according to Rigby (2008, p. 45) is the justified or the unjustified aggression
towards the victim. This factor concerns substantially students-victims, as they
cannot understand the motives of bullies for their aggressive behavior and the
reasons of bullies actions towards specific students.
Some severe forms of bullying are racial and ethnic victimization. These take
place, when the negative behavior of the bully is addressed to a person belonging
to a racial or to an ethnic minority group (Rigby, 2008). Incidents of school
bullying might appear due to the different ethnic, racial or cultural characteristics
of some students in relation to those of students who belong to the majority group
and specifically due to the bias towards different race or nationality ( &
, 2013). This form of violence is present, when ethno-cultural
THE SCHOOL MEDIATION TO CONFRONT VIOLENCE AND BULLYING 3

differences between the bully and the victim create the appearance of the
phenomenon. Specifically, in racial victimization the victim experiences
repeatedly and intentionally discrimination and exclusion, due to his racial
identity (Rigby, 2008). As the causes of the phenomenon could not be easily
detected, it is usually questionable to prove each time that the negative actions
hide racial or ethnic victimization.
School bullying is a difficult problem which requires a careful and a well-
planned handling. For example, some schools which aim to achieve the
integration of students from different cultural backgrounds, adopt solutions that
might lead to opposite results, increasing the discrimination among native and
non-native students and failing to establish the necessary conditions of equity and
respect for diversity (, 2005). Thus, Olweus (as cited in Rigby, 2008)
supported that the problem of school bullying could be reduced through the
application of a program which aims for the prevention and the confrontation of
the phenomenon through the participation of all those who are directly or
indirectly involved (e.g., students, teachers, parents, headmaster, schools staff
etc.). The objectives would be the awareness of the problem, the improvement of
interpersonal relationships, the mediation as a means to deal with the
phenomenon, the application of concrete rules, the support and the protection of
the victims (, 2011).

School Bullying and Cultural Diversity

The appearance of school bullying in relation to ethno-cultural diversity is a
complex social phenomenon, because it includes the different culture and the
nationality of students from minority groups and possible bias or stereotypes
towards them. Cultural diversity is described as the diversity of the cultural
background and the presence of different ethno-cultural identities among people.
Ethno-cultural identity is a part of a broad cultural identity of the person, which is
created through the experiences and through the interaction with the direct social
and cultural environment where the person lives ( & ,
2011).
Investigating the relation between school bullying and cultural diversity,
there are various studies which lead to contradictory results. Generally, there is
not sufficient evidence for the involvement of students in incidents of school
bullying, taking into account their ethnic, racial or cultural background and their
socio-economic status. Several studies show that there is a significant relation
between the two factors, proving that non-native students are systematically
victimized (Graham and Juvonen, 2002; Pagani, Robustelli & Martinelli, 2011).
Racist and stereotypical beliefs which prevail in the society cause the expression
of prejudiced behaviours and biased attitudes towards minority groups and such
behaviours are also replicated within the school environment towards students
from different cultural backgrounds (Cobia & Carney, 2002; Pagani, Robustelli &
Martinelli, 2011).
The results of other studies show that native students are those who are more
likely to become victims in an incident of school bullying (Strohmeier & Spiel,
2003; Strohmeier, Spiel & Gradinger, 2008). Finally, some other studies prove
that a significant relation between school bullying and cultural diversity does not
exist or it cannot be detected (Eslea & Mukhtar, 2000and Fandrem, Strohmeier
& Roland, 2009). According to the findings of a more recent study (Nikolaou &
THE SCHOOL MEDIATION TO CONFRONT VIOLENCE AND BULLYING 4

Samsari, 2013) non-native students are involved in incidents of school bullying

(either as victims or as bullies) more systematically compared to native students.
Thus, incidents of school bullying tend to appear more often in a school context,
where there are students from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds (Nikolaou
& Samsari, 2013).
Comparing the contradictory findings of the previous studies, it is clear that
the relation between school bullying and cultural diversity is still an area which is
not completely examined. However, it would be wrong to ignore the different
social, psychological and cultural conditions which influence the context of each
study and the different research methodology which has been possibly adopted
(Nikolaou & Samsari, 2013). Consequently, the research has yet to reveal a lot of
aspects of the issue, in order to form a clear scientific point of view as for the
nature of the association between the two factors.

School Mediation as an Alternative Means against School Bullying

During the last decades countries all over the world have begun to realize the
seriousness of school violence and bullying which is prevalent in schools of
primary and secondary education and they have focused on the design and the
application of measures and practices in order to deal with the phenomenon.
Specifically, in Europe several countries adopt various policies which are
divided in three levels: a) national policies which are controlled by the political
authority and include specialized services, national actions aiming to confront
school failure and abandonment and national programs in order to reduce
xenophobia and racism within school context and to improve the quality of
education, b) local policies which are designed by local authorities in order to
establish a positive relationship between school and local community and c)
policies and initiatives which are applied by the school units and include
programs of peaceful confrontation of conflicts and the application of mediation
to deal with disputes or with incidents of school bullying (, 2001).
Although school bullying also concerns Greek society specifically during the
last decades, anti-bullying intervention programs have not been applied yet. The
phenomenon is present in Greek schools and it is more intense in a multicultural
school context, because there is a higher risk for students from different cultural
backgrounds to be involved either as bullies or as victims in incidents of school
violence and school bullying (Nikolaou & Samsari, 2013).
However, the confrontation of school violence and school bullying is
attempted indirectly through the implementation of various programs, such as the
function of Second Chances schools, programs of remedial teaching, programs
of creative occupation, the function of National Centre for Vocational Orientation
(, 2010a) and the recent creation of Observatory of School
Violence and Bullying under the supervision of Greek Ministry of Education
and Religious Affairs. Generally, policies towards school bullying and programs
related to school mediation are not applied systematically, but they appear
sporadically in some schools of the country (, 2010a).
School mediation is considered to be an alternative means to face school
violence and school bullying as compared to traditional disciplinary forms, which
are used in order to confront the phenomenon. It is included in the context of
restorative justice, aiming to restore the relationships among those who are
involved in incidents of school violence and school bullying (,
THE SCHOOL MEDIATION TO CONFRONT VIOLENCE AND BULLYING 5

2010a, 2011). School mediation is a structured process which has

specific limits and aims for the efficient solution of the conflict or of the dispute
among two or more students who participate actively and communicate directly
with the help of one third neutral person called as mediator (,
2010b).
The process of mediation begins with the request of a student who usually
experiences the incident as a victim and addresses to the mediator. Then, the
mediator gets in contact separately with both sides (two or more students) who
are involved and after their agreement is assured, he sets the date for their
mediation. When the mediation takes place, both sides are initially introduced,
they agree with the principles of mediation and they report the problem according
to their point of view and their sentiments that they felt. The mediator
summarizes and asks from both sides to propose various solutions, so that one
would be eventually chosen as the final solution and another would be chosen as
the alternative solution. Afterwards, they set the date of meeting in order to
discuss about the progress of their agreement. The mediator reads the contract
and both sides sign it (, & , 2010; ,
& , 2011).
In Greece, school mediation is applied in several schools of primary and
secondary education, having positive results. The assessment of the application of
these programs shows that students who participated in the process of mediation,
are satisfied, as they managed to find a solution to the problem, they did not have
conflicts anymore and they became friends with each other. According to their
reports, the mediators were friendly, neutral and they were interested to hear
everything that students said and revealed in confidence. Several students usually
seek an alternative solution, as they find futile to deal with the phenomenon all
alone or they hesitate to disclose the problem, having the fear that the bullies
would punish them or they would take revenge for that.
Specifically in primary education, school mediation is applied in some
schools of the country. One of these schools is the 5th Primary School of Ioannina,
where school mediation was applied during the school year 2012-2013 and
continues to be applied during the school year 2013-2014. The final assessment
of the programs application proved positive and encouraging results. Students,
who participated, supported that after the process, a solution was given to the
problem, they did not fight again with each other, their interpersonal relationships
were improved and the mediation was preferred as a way to solve their disputes
(, & , 2013).
Mediation is one of the most appropriate methods in order to deal with
school bullying (, 2010a), taking into account its basic principles
(volunteerism, confidentiality, trust, equality etc.) (, &
, 2010). Besides, these principles also serve the need of intercultural
communication and especially the need of equality.
One of the basic features of school bullying is the imbalance of power
between the bully and the victim (, 2009) and the most important
obstacle to the confrontation of the phenomenon is the fact that victims do not ask
for help and protection from their school (teacher, headmaster) and they do not
report such incidents to their parents (, 2013). It is not surprising that
such features are even more intense in the context of ethno-cultural diversity.
Victimization of different students is observed at school, when the minority
group feels weak and hesitates to ask for help, thinking that the school
THE SCHOOL MEDIATION TO CONFRONT VIOLENCE AND BULLYING 6

community would probably support the students who belong to the majority
group.
When students who are involved in an incident of school bullying, accept the
suggestion for mediation and agree to participate in the process, they have to
accept its principles, so that the process would be continued. If the students are
not consistent with the principles and with their application, the mediation stops.
Besides, one of the principles of mediation, which requires the agreement of the
bully and of the victim, is that all those who are involved in the process, are equal
and any child is not stronger or better than someone else. If the student-bully
agrees with this principle, then the imbalance of power between the two sides
does not prevail anymore. Consequently, one of the substantial features of school
bullying -the power differential- is reduced, as both sides participate and attempt
to find a solution to the problem in a context of equality.
The confidentiality is also one of the primary conditions of school mediation,
so that it would be applied successfully. Both sides should accept this principle in
order to participate in the process. The mediator reassures that the discussion
would be applied in an atmosphere of confidentiality and tries to highlight that
mediation is just a normal and an ordinary process. This fact creates gradually a
sense of security, so that all students who are involved, would feel comfortable to
talk about the problem. This is very important for students-victims, as they would
feel safe to reveal their victimization. Generally, according to the findings of
various studies (see Nikolaou & Samsari, 2013), victims avoid talking to their
parents or to their teachers about their victimization and prefer to remain silent.
Silence is one of the main obstacles to the confrontation of school bullying which
usually accompanies the appearance of the phenomenon and tends to be one of its
component features. Confidentiality as a basic principle of school mediation
allows the victim to break his silence. Even if the process cannot lead to a
sufficient solution, it seems to be the threshold, so that students would discuss
about the process.
The voluntary participation in school mediation is another important
principle. When the bully wants to participate in the process voluntarily, he
activates his desire to face and to resolve the problem. The mediation gives bully
the opportunity to propose alternative solutions, beyond the aggressive forms of
behaviors which he was used to exert, as he has learned to solve his disputes in
this way. On the other hand, the process of mediation allows students of both
sides (bullies and victims) to express their feelings. This is very important for two
reasons. Firstly, the findings of various studies prove that bullies derive from
families, where the violence dominates within the family environment (aggressive
parents) (, 2009Rigby, 2008). Furthermore, investigating the climate
in the school environment, it is clear that the feeling which is prevalent in
children, who cause incidents of violence, is sorrow and distress (,
& , 2013). As a result, these children have experienced
negative feelings within their family and they do not feel pleasure when they are
involved in such incidents. Secondly, during the process the bully has to repeat
the side of the problem, in the same way as it is reported by the victim, either he
agrees with the student-victim or not. Therefore, the bully sees the problem from
the point of view of the victim and comes into his position, so that he would learn
to develop the competence of empathy. Empathy is considered to be a basic
principle of intercultural education, which is usually absent at these children
(, 2009).
THE SCHOOL MEDIATION TO CONFRONT VIOLENCE AND BULLYING 7

Although prevention against the appearance of school bullying is probably

the best solution against the phenomenon (see & , 2013),
school mediation seems to be an effective process to deal with a specific incident
of school bullying, especially when native and non-native students are involved.
Even if an adequate solution to the problem cannot be found, students, who
participate in the process, will learn to accept the important principles of school
mediation, which are the same or they complete the principles of intercultural
education.

Conclusion
Incidents of school violence and bullying take place within the school context,
having various forms of appearance. The presence of such incidents is more
intense when students from different cultural backgrounds are involved, affecting
the emotional and psychological health of bullies and victims and having negative
consequences at the school climate and at the relationships among students.
Today, teachers and parents have begun to be aware of the problem and to detect
such incidents in schools. Although the realization and the understanding of the
problem is an encouraging starting point to focus on the phenomenon, it is
necessary to find and to apply concrete solutions in order to deal with the problem
effectively.
Consequently, it is obvious that school mediation could be an effective
means to compensate for some important reasons, which create obstacles during
the efforts to reduce incidents of school bullying where native and non-native
students are involved. The program of school mediation in combination with
some other schools practices and actions, such as the awareness as for the issue
of violence and school bullying, could help efficiently to the prevention and to the
confrontation of the phenomenon.

References
Cobia, D. C., & Carney, J. S. (2002). Creating a culture of tolerance in schools:
Everyday actions to prevent hate-motivated violent incidents. Journal of
School Violence 1, 87-104.
Eslea, M., & Mukhtar, K. (2000). Bullying and racism among Asian
schoolchildren in Britain. Educational Research, 42(2), 207217.
Fandrem, H., Strohmeier, D., & Roland, E. (2009). Bullying and victimization
among Norwegian and immigrant adolescents in Norway: The role of
proactive and reactive aggressiveness. Journal of Early Adolescence,
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Graham, S., & Juvonen, J. (2002). Ethnicity, peer harassment, and adjustment in
middle school: An exploratory study. Journal of Early Adolescence,
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Nikolaou G., & Samsari E. (2013). School bullying and ethno-cultural diversity
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University Cyprus Department of Education Sciences, Nicosia, 11-12
October 2013 (publication in preparation).
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multiculturalism, and contact. Intercultural Education, 22(4), 337-349.
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Strohmeier, D., & Spiel, C. (2003). Immigrant children in Austria: Aggressive

behavior and friendship patterns in multicultural school classes. Journal
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Strohmeier, D., Spiel, C., & Gradinger, P. (2008). Social relationships in
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