Understanding adolescent violence: lessons from Palestine

What happens when violence, induced by political conflict, becomes the norm for adolescents? How can educators and policymakers work with young people to help them to understand their aggression and develop skills to help the transition to peace?

New research from Bristol University looks at the impact of political violence on the lives of 16 to 19 year old Palestinians in secondary school, and outlines strategies for reducing adolescent aggression.

Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Palestinian resistance to it has touched the lives of all people, especially the younger generation. Subjected to violence all their lives, many adolescents view violence as endemic and a socially justified tool for solving problems. Domestic violence is widely accepted as part of Palestinian culture, and upbringing often involves parental violence. Teachers who are respected by both students and their parents are those who hit their pupils. This paper examines the effect of political violence on Palestinian secondary school students, both urban and rural, government and private, in the Ramallah district of the West Bank.

Research findings include:

• 24 per cent of the young people in the sample reported having been beaten by Israeli soldiers. Only 3 per cent had never participated in street confrontations with Israeli troops.
• 39 per cent of the sample participated in school fights, 14 per cent bullied other students, and 93 per cent had damaged school property.
• Students' accounts suggest that violent behaviour is imitative and connected with experiences of violence and aggression from Israeli troops, within the home, and at school.
• Interviews with students suggest that the more students are actively involved in street confrontations with Israeli troops the more likely they are to use violence in their school and family environments.
• Students living in urban areas are liable to be more violent than rural students.
• The culture of violence and aggression cannot be eliminated unless there is a real peace in the region and the Palestinian political leaders, education authorities and community leaders cooperate and address problems holistically.

The paper recommends a two-track, holistic approach towards breaking the spiral of violence:

• Anti-violence campaigns and dissemination of supporting educational materials.
• Training courses in communication skills, counseling, youth psychology and problem solving.

Source(s):
'Adolescents' Behaviour Within the Context of Political Conflict: Case of Palestinian Secondary School Students' by Hala Salem Abuateya, Discussion Paper, Social Research Centre, American University in Cairo, November 2000

Funded by: British Council

id21 Research Highlight: 21 December 2001

Further Information:
Hala Salem Abuateya
Graduate School of Education
Bristol University
8-10 Berkeley Square
Bristol BS8 1JA
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 117 928 9000
Fax: +44 (0) 117 925 1537
Contact the contributor: Hala.Nimer@bristol.ac.uk

University of Bristol, UK

American University in Cairo, Egypt

Other related links:
'Children first? Revising child-centred interventions'

'Building blocks. Reconstructing education after a crisis'

The Children and Armed Conflict Unit provides reports on the impact on children

War Child helps the innocent victims of war

Save the Children reports further

Child Rights Information Network features research on 'Armed Conflict'