Beyond Words: Schizoanalysis of Discursive Violence Against Female Teachers

Abstract

This article explores the process of subjectivation from the perspective of the Psychology of Difference - Schizoanalysis, drawing on the theories of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. The study aims to understand how discursive violence impacts teaching practice, particularly among female teachers, and how it mirrors the historical cultures that permeate relationships between teachers and students. The research, qualitative in nature, employs communication discourse analysis to examine an incident that transpired in a Full-Time Education Center on the outskirts of Goiânia, which was instigated by a student’s violent communication speech. The incident, involving a 7th-year student and a teacher, had a profound impact not only on the targeted teacher but also on the school structure, leading to changes in schedules, teacher replacements, and interventions from parents and the Guardianship Council. The study underscores that the school, situated in an area of social vulnerability already grappling with challenges such as socioeconomic inequalities and community violence, is a microcosm of the region’s broader social tensions. The analysis of the incident offers valuable insights into the interplay between discursive violence and teaching practice in challenging contexts, positing that communication is an inherent human characteristic present in all social interactions, including institutional and economic forms of organization. It further argues that communication is integrated into productive processes, primarily achieved through verbal language, and is shaped by various aspects involving power dynamics.