Intersections of Race and Bullying in Children’s Literature: Transitions, Racism, and Counternarratives

• Published in: Early childhood education journal Vol. 47; no. 4; pp. 465 - 474
• Main Authors: Wiseman, Angela M., Vehabovic, Nermin, Jones, Jill S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-07-2019; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavior Patterns; Bullying; Children; Childrens Literature; Classroom Techniques; Classrooms; Content Analysis; Correlation; Critical race theory; Critical Theory; Early Childhood Education; Education; Learning and Instruction; Picture Books; Race; Racial Bias; Racism; Social Problems; Sociology; Sociology of Education; Teaching Methods; Bullying; Critical content analysis; Children’s literature; Critical race theory
• ISSN: 1082-3301; 1573-1707
• DOI: 10.1007/s10643-019-00933-9

In classrooms, reading and responding to literature has been identified as a powerful method for dealing with critical social issues, including bullying and racism. The purpose of this article is to analyze children’s literature published from 1997 to 2017 that highlights the intersection of bullying and racism. Our article begins with a description of how critical race theory is foundational to our understanding and how research on bullying illuminates our analysis of children’s literature. Using critical content analysis), we analyze relevant picturebooks to address how racism can influence bullying behavior. Finally, this article concludes with implications for classroom practices and ideas for future directions.