FROM SILENCING TO CRITICAL THINKING: BELL HOOKS’ CONTRIBUTIONS TO ADDRESSING SCHOOL VIOLENCE

Abstract

The Law of Directives and Bases of National Education (LDB) and the Federal Constitution (CF). Concurrently, a significant behavioral shift among individuals has been observed, leading to rising intolerance and, consequently, instances of violence in student-student and student-teacher interactions. In light of this scenario, and drawing from bell hooks’ work "Teaching Critical Thinking," this study aims to support initiatives to minimize aggression within the school environment. It builds upon concepts such as critical thinking, engaged pedagogy, and dialogue as essential factors for confronting these challenges in the classroom. The methodology adopted is a literature review with an exploratory-descriptive approach, initially based on hooks’ (2020) work, alongside books, websites, articles, and publications aligned with the theme of this study. The theoretical framework incorporates scholars such as Aronson and Aronson (2023) on aggression and human behavior; Perdigão et al. (2014) on the conceptualization and types of violence; Assis, Njaine, and Marriel (2025) on social factors of violence and authoritarianism; Ristum (2025) on victim behavior and violence against teachers; Redondo et al. (2012) on types of violence; Bourdieu and Passeron (1992) on symbolic violence; Freire (2013); and hooks (2020). Ultimately, it is clear that hooks' (2020) insights, which anchor this research, do not constitute a standalone strategy to eliminate violence in institutions; however, they serve as valid mechanisms to integrate reflective thinking, dialogue, and engaged pedagogy into daily praxis, thereby transforming human action within interpersonal relationships.