A Mother’s Humiliation: School Organizational Violence Toward Latina Mothers

• In Event: Deconstructing Race, Racism, and Antiracism

Abstract

Drawing on Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic violence and Noddings concept of caring, I argue for transforming school policy and approaches to engaging with Latina mothers in ways that show respect for cultural difference and individual needs and resources. Through data drawn from three year-long ethnographies, I show how symbolic violence against Latina mothers gets played out and the social and psychological responses that result. I end with specific recommendations for transforming episodes of violence in schools into caring encounters.

Author

• Lilia D. Monzo, Chapman University