Children and Violence: An introductory, International and Interdisciplinary Approach

Introduction

Children are subject to many forms of adversity, for example, poverty or ill health. However, a significant form of adversity experienced by children in many different regions of the world is violence. The form of violence against children varies widely and is hugely disparate. In this course, the focus is on three different environments where children experience violence: at home, among peers at school and in the wider society (in the context of armed conflicts). The text considers the experiences of children both locally and globally. For this reason, violence against children should not be considered a phenomenon that is remote. Sadly, children may experience violence in their families and among their peers, and may also become involved in armed conflict. The course considers in detail the daily experiences of violence which can have negative impacts on the physical or emotional health of children and moves from ideas about children and violence in very localized contexts – within families and with peers at school – through to the broader community and on to the international perspective. It also analyses the different roles that children take on in relation to violence, such as victim, perpetrator, witness, colluder and peacemaker. This course provides a sample of Level 2 study in People, Politics & Law.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• Discuss the ways in which children are the victims of violence and the multiple effects that violence has on children, encompassing not only physical pain and injury but also psychological damage
• Examine the various roles that children play in relation to violence, as victims, perpetrators, witnesses, colluders and peacemakers
• Analyze the relationship between children as victims of violence and as perpetrators of violence
• Analyze the role of children in armed conflicts and discuss why children are not only victims in war
• Examine the ways in which children and their communities have attempted to end violence in their lives.