Under what circumstances do high school students justify the use of violence in conflict resolution?

Abstract

Violence reflects socioeconomic and cultural issues, becoming a growing concern in Brazil. This study investigated groups of students from Curitiba-PR with the purpose of analyzing how they interpret and justify the use of violence, especially for conflict resolution, as well as addressing the relevance of restorative practices as a non-violent alternative in conflict management. This study is characterized as action research, with data obtained through focus groups among high school students at CE Teobaldo Kletemberg. A closed questionnaire with open questions was also applied to students at CE Protásio de Carvalho. Through the collected data, it was possible to observe how violence is intensely inserted in the school environment. The students' narratives pointed out that their involvement in conflicts is influenced by emotions. Therefore, the difficulty of communicating their feelings during a discussion can lead them to physically express their emotions, through aggression. In this context, Restorative Justice emerges as an alternative, promoting dialogue, reflection, and rapprochement between victim and offender in relation to the peaceful composition of conflicts in the school space.