Bullying in a networked era: a literature review

This research update presents an aggregation and summary of recent academic literature on youth bullying. The purpose of this document is to “translate” scholarly research for a concerned public audience, which may include but is not limited to parents, caregivers, educators, and practitioners. This translation highlights recent findings and developments in the literature and makes them accessible to the informed but non-expert reader. The document’s two guiding questions are “What is bullying?” (Section I) and “What can be done about bullying?” (Section II). Section I begins with a brief overview of key definitions and related research conversations and then addresses bullying’s prevalence, the types of individuals involved in bullying, the characteristics of individuals involved and the consequences of their involvement, and community-level dynamics related to bullying. Section II covers four areas where action has been taken to address problems associated with bullying – school policy, curricula, school climate, and parents – and ends on a note about approaches that mix or cut across these areas. The purpose is to render lessons learned from research and assessment accessible to those interested in deepening or expanding their knowledge of bullying-related issues

DEFENDING ALL-MALE EDUCATION: A NEW CULTURAL MOMENT FOR A RENEWED DEBATE

Although all-female schools still prosper and are defended by members of the academic elite, an all-male college has become a near-extinct species. Many people are surprised such a creature still exists. All-male colleges strike many as vestiges of male privilege. They evoke the traditional bastions of power that precluded women from advancing in public life. Single-sex education is not for everyone, but if our educational system is to be truly pluralistic, such an education should be an option. Single-sex education for both genders can be a constructive way to address problems plaguing not only education but the culture as a whole. Educators are now more willing to reevaluate all-male education. While research on single-sex education focuses on women, its conclusions often show significant gains for both genders. Indeed, those who experience an all-male education are usually eager to talk of its empowering effect. In our society, sex is used and exploited as the primary means of self-expression and ultimate fulfillment. It is possible that the single-sex atmosphere might help put such distorted claims into a better perspective. It is time for a new debate about all-male education

Empowerment of Third World Women against AIDS: Special Reference to East and Central Africa

Examines various ways in which women in the developing countries can be empowered to fight against HIV/AIDS

Hair-Esteem Toolkit For Black Girls : The Development Of A Self-Esteem Toolkit For Black Adolescent Girls Centering Hair As A Tool For Empowerment

Background: For Black adolescent girls, hair is a strong staple of gender and ethnic identity, influencing intrapersonal and interpersonal interactions. Gendered racism and Eurocentric beauty standards pathologize Black girls and their hair, leading them to experience high rates of hair harassment and discrimination. These experiences negatively impact the self-esteem of Black girls, which has important implications for a host of health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between self-esteem and hair among Black girls and integrate findings into a culturally relevant digital toolkit to promote and develop hair-esteem and self-esteem among Black girls.Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of a mixed-methods study titled The Dreamer Girls’ Project. Inclusion criteria included: (1) Self-identifies as Black, (2) Adolescent girl aged 13-18 years old, (3) Must reside within the United States of America. Researchers conducted 12 focus groups (n=62) with 4-8 participants included per group. The youth advisory board (YAB) from the primary study was invited to reconvene for the purposes of this study, which five participants accepted. Two other girls with demonstrated leadership potential and/or involvement with the Substances and Sexual Health Lab were also invited to join, for a total of seven YAB members. The YAB convened twice in March 2023 to co- develop the toolkit. Results: Findings from the focus groups, YAB meetings, and literature were used to develop the “Hair- Esteem Toolkit for Black Girls”. The toolkit focused on hair empowerment and integrated supplementary self-esteem development activities and resources. The toolkit is intended to promote self-esteem among Black girls aged 13-18 centering hair as an empowerment tool. Conclusion: The developed toolkit demonstrates the value of centering Black girls in research using theoretical frameworks that leverage their creative potential and leadership abilities while fostering a co- learning space. Findings may be expanded on using YPAR to contribute to current advocacy efforts on hair discrimination

The Role of Porn Literacy in Comprehensive Sex Education to Reduce Endorsements of Gendered Sexual Violence and Support Healthy Adolescent Development

Due to stigmatization of sex and insufficient sexual education, modern-day adolescents rely on free online pornography as a source of education about sex and relationships. This thesis provides a review of the connections between adolescent porn use and the socialization of sexual violence (SV) and coercion against women, comprehensive sex education (CSE) and healthy adolescent sexual development, and porn literacy (PL) and sexual attitude or behavior changes. Porn literacy aims to equip adolescents with tools to critically analyze sexualied media and messages, to empower them to make informed decisions to engage or disengage with porn and their sexuality in a safe and healthy manner. I propose a pilot study comprehensive sex education program with porn literacy topics that can be feasibly and effectively administered in a public San Diego 8th grade classroom to holistically prevent SV against women and support healthy adolescent sexual development. In this one-group design, participants (n=30) will complete a pre-test assessment before the first lesson and a post-test after the 12th and final session. Expected results, based on trends found in previous research, are a decrease in endorsements of sexually violent and gendered sexual scripts commonly found in porn, a decrease in general endorsements of sexual violence, and an increase in self-efficacy regarding various aspects of healthy adolescent sexual and relationship development from pre-test to post-test. Sexual self-efficacy in this study includes confidence in critically analyzing messages related to sex and gender, navigating healthy relationships, and locating support or further resources on healthy sexuality and SV. The findings from this pilot study could indicate a need for revisions to California’s sex education requirements to reflect a more realistic landscape of adolescent’s sexual socialization, which includes pornography, in order to holistically prevent sexual violence and move towards a sexually safe and equitable society

BEYOND THE RHETORIC: THE CASE FOR THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN KENYAN SCHOOLS

Comprehensive Sexuality Education remains one of the most controversial topics in global development discourse. Organizations such as UNESCO, WHO and UNICEF have championed for the institutionalization of CSE in countries across the globe, citing the relative merits of this education on young people. Kenya, like a lot of other countries has faced formidable opposition in the institutionalization of CSE with much of the opposition being spearheaded by religious groups and advocacy groups that posit that CSE would have negative consequences on young learners. This review sought to document the milestones that have defined the institutionalization of CSE by the Kenyan government and to establish the legal policy regimes that have informed the process. It also sought to highlight the barriers that have impeded the process and lastly, it endeavored to suggest ways which these impediments can be overcome. This review was a culmination of systematic analysis of the available literature on sex education in Kenya. Article visualizations

Literature and Bullying: Teenage and Children Novels on School Bullying Prevention

Juvenile delinquent or deviant behavior appears in various forms in modern academic reality. It is widely known under the international term "school bullying". The systemic view of an educational organization as it studies the variety of school and social system parameters that explain and contribute to the emergence of problematic behaviors in schools positively contributes to a better understanding of that behaviors considered within the framework of interactions that generate and reproduce it. Qualitative literary works, by which this phenomenon is approached in a novel way and the "omnipotent narrator" dominates, provide the possibility of a holistic and systemic view and indirect aids in strategies for preventing, detecting and curing the offending incidents in modern schools. The purpose of this paper is to connect the phenomenon of bullying appearing in teenage and children novels with the way that texts could illuminate and enlighten youth consciousness in order to become safe guides or useful paradigms in their everyday life. The texts examined under present study are the novels (a) Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher (b) Finding Audrey, by Sophie Kinsella and (c) Together, by Eleni Priοvolou

Minimizing Violence: A Good Practice Local Elite-Based in the Madura Island, Indonesia

The success of democracy in a nation is measured by the existence of a peaceful, civilised social life. In Indonesia, however, ornaments of violence are still present while resolving issues, as in Madura. This study tries to outline the underlying factors that lead to the formation of violence and pinpoint the function that local elites play in curbing the use of violence. The Galtung theory of violence is utilised in the investigational analysis. In order to analyse the data for this study, we used qualitative research, a case study procedure, and an integration strategy. The findings demonstrated that violence has permeated the Madurese culture. Internally passed down and socially sanctioned, it has been used to cope with a variety of life concerns, such as issues involving wives or women, misunderstandings, inheritance, land, religion or belief, theft, and debts and receivables. Because they have historically served as a point of reference in times of conflict, local elites such as Bhuppa/Bhâbu, Ghuru, Rato (parents, Kiai or the leader in the Islamic religion/teacher, and government) are crucial to the realisation of a culture of non-violence. The local elite’s necessary development of their function does not restrict but rather dampens and empowers, notably among the Bâjing.

Youth and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Challenges and Opportunities for Implementation

Young people ages 15 to 24 are 1.2 billion of the world’s human capital. Around the world, many of them are already making contributions to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and their work should be further acknowledged and strengthened. Increasingly, youth are recognized as key participants in decision-making and development, as reflected in the growing presence of non-governmental youth organizations and the upsurge of youth advisory boards and committees to international institutions and programmes. Yet building the capacity of and creating sustained partnerships with young people are crucial strategies to achieving the MDGs that have not been fully realized by the international community. This paper aims to provide an overview of youth participation as it currently exists, to outline the ways in which youth are directly involved and affected by each Goal, to demonstrate the ways in which young people are contributing to the MDGs, and to provide ‘Options for Action’ that governments, the United Nations system, donors and other actors can harness, support, and scale-up in order to support young people in making significant contributions to achieving the MDGs. Part I outlines the existing mechanisms for youth participation in development policy. These channels can be used by governments and institutions to strengthen and mobilize young people as partners in policy formulation. Successful modes of participation should be recognized and replicated, and also adapted to the challenging political and socio-economic realities facing many youth-led and youth-serving organizations. Part II presents youth participation as it relates directly to the MDGs. Each goal is analyzed with respect to its effect on young peoples lives as well as how young people can play – and indeed are playing — a role in its implementation. Under each goal are a number of “Options for Action” that governments, the UN and multilateral organizations can use to fully harness the contributions that youth can make to achieving the MDGs. Part III outlines the synergies between the Options for Action presented in this report and the Quick Wins proposed by the Millennium Project. The Options for Action are complimentary and provide a process to implement the Quick Win actions, using young people as key implementing agents and service providers. Part III also outlines a number of youth-focused Quick Wins that can make a significant and measurable difference to the state of young people in target countries. Part IV elaborates on how youth can participate in achieving the MDGs and contains cross-cutting recommendations on youth engagement in all 8 Goals. Overall, the report demonstrates that investing in youth will provide the longest and most effective dividend towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by building the social capital needed to foster pragmatic development. Indeed, without the involvement of young people, a demographic that comprises one fifth of the world’s total population, the full achievement of the MDGs will remain elusive and their long-term sustainability will be compromised. Youth participation is currently quite varied, ranging from effective, to sometimes tokenistic, to often non-existent. There are specific ways in which youth and youth organizations can contribute to the design and implementation of MDG-based strategies, some of which are outlined in this document. Many projects are already happening, but there is much work left still to be done.Youth participation; Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); Poverty Eradication

"Lopettakaa huoriksi pukeutuminen!" : diskursseja Puolan seksuaalikasvatuksesta

The purpose of this thesis is to study discourses in sexuality education in Polish schools 2009-2016. Polish sexuality education is an abstinence-based education influenced by Poland's Catholic Church and its moral views as it is holding an influential position due to constitutional alliance with the state of Poland. In 2012 the Catholic Church launched the so-called “anti-gender” campaign in which gender was considered a threat to traditional family values and a source of perversion. Conservatives frequently propagated the dangers of gender towards children to parents as presented as a threat to the Polish nation. This study examines why gender stereotypes, homophobia, and disinformation are promoted, and secondly, how the anti-gender campaign has impacted Polish sexuality education. The theoretical framework consists of central conceptions and Foucault's theory on biopower, according to which sexuality can be regulated and used as power strategies. This study is a qualitative study, as the research material consists of texts, documents, and media articles. The methodology for this study consists of content analysis, specifically data-driven content analysis, and critical discourse analysis, to evaluate observations from the data. The power strategies of biopower strongly supported my analysis and created a theoretical entity. Critical discourse analysis has been used as a background method to reveal power asymmetries from the research data. The results of this study were on a practical level that the sexuality education classes were poorly organized as it is treated as a secondary subject. Many of the teachers were incompetent to teach sexuality education who intentionally or unintentionally shared their personal views with the students. Some teachers were priests whose worldview was religious, promoting Catholic views in the classes. On a societal level, sexuality education was impacted by the Catholic Church, whose influence on educational policy was significant with the purpose of maintaining traditional social order and gender roles. Nonetheless, gender inequalities and negative attitudes towards sexual minorities exist in many Polish society domains, affecting the moral atmosphere and the teaching of sexuality education within the lack of will of conducting a proper curriculum. The anti-gender campaign affected sexuality education by making the concept of teaching gender in schools challenging or even impossible. Negative attitudes towards sexuality education increased in fear of gender making Polish children sexual and therefore endangering Polish future and values. The weaknesses of democracy and women's and LGBTQ+ movements, the Church's exceptional influence on society, and the strength of nationalist movements were all enablers of the anti-gender campaign