Extending Regulations of Violence: The Case of Corporal Punishment

• In Event: 538 - Section on Global and Transnational Sociology Paper Session. Social Movements and Human Rights

Abstract

While almost no countries had banned corporal punishment half a century ago, today, many of the world’s countries have banned corporal punishment in both the home and school settings. In this article, we examine the influences of this global shift in norms. Drawing upon an event history analysis of 170 countries between 1950 and 2011, we find that formal condemnation of corporal punishment in schools has become a global norm, though policies banning corporal punishment in the home are spreading more slowly. This suggests that the private sphere is still relatively buffered from state regulation. Turning to the factors that influence each form of policy adoption, we find support for theories that suggest that ties to the world polity influence the adoption of human rights-related policies. Specifically, the receipt of civil society aid is associated with the adoption of each form of policy, while ratification of the CRC is associated with adoption of policies banning corporal punishment in the home. Beyond this, the percentage of women in parliament is associated with the adoption of each form of policy. This aligns with previous research that suggests that women’s political representation is associated with child-friendly policies.

Authors

• Hollie Nyseth Brehm, The Ohio State University

• Elizabeth Heger Boyle, University of Minnesota