ABSTRACT

In this examination of the ubiquitous practice of bullying among youth, compelling first person stories vividly convey the lived experience of peer torment and how it impacted the lives of five diverse young women. Author Keith Berry’s own autoethnographic narratives and analysis add important relational communication, methodological, and ethical dimensions to their accounts. The personal stories create an opening to understand how this form of physical and verbal violence shapes identities, relationships, communication, and the construction of meaning among a variety of youth. The layered narrative

  • describes the practices constituting bullying and how youth work to cope with peer torment and its aftermath, largely focusing on identity construction and well being;
  • addresses contemporary cyberbullying as well as other forms of relational aggression in many social contexts across race, gender, and sexual orientations;
  • is written in a compelling way to be accessible to students in communication, education, psychology, social welfare, and other fields.

chapter 1|26 pages

Bullying

A Narrative Opening to a Relational Problem

chapter 2|15 pages

Cutting Through

The Journey and Horror of Finding Self-Love

chapter |8 pages

The Little Professor

Reflexive Interlude 1

chapter 3|14 pages

Pure Evil Entertainment

chapter |10 pages

Rope Burn

Reflexive Interlude 2

chapter 4|16 pages

Flying Tomatoes

Cruella's Clash with the Dalmatians

chapter |11 pages

Stretch

Reflexive Interlude 3

chapter 5|13 pages

Highlight Girl

Finding Strength in Her Weak Soul

chapter |11 pages

Of Frogs and Friends

Reflexive Interlude 4

chapter |10 pages

Bennies on the Floor

Reflexive Interlude 5

chapter 7|19 pages

Opened

Bullying Communication and Identities, and the Power of Stories