Insights into structural violence in Luxembourg's schools

How much violence is there in Luxembourg's schools? The answer probably depends to a large extent on who you ask – and what they mean by "violence". The question is usually only discussed when a shocking video is doing the rounds that depicts extreme physical brutality – and leaves out many other forms of violence. In order to see these other forms, an unbiased view from the outside is needed that does not see the "normal" as normal and does not accept "that's just the way it is" as a sufficient explanation as to why various children are exposed to violence – often unnoticed.

It is therefore not surprising that the master's thesis "Structural violence in the Luxembourgish School System" was not written in the Grand Duchy, but was submitted by Hrefna Einarsdóttir to the University of Iceland. In it, she examines the "normal" harmful processes of the system, which are tweaked here and there but not fundamentally questioned, even though they have lifelong consequences, she explains: "The hidden norms, bureaucratic procedures and cultural realities discriminate against certain children and lead to them having poorer socio-economic opportunities later on, which they then pass on to their own children".