A relational political economy of violence in education: An intersectional analysis of disability, gender, ethnicity, language and generation

Violence against children with disabilities is a global concern, encompassing both physical and psychological violence. Corporal punishment, a key form of physical violence against children, is legally prohibited in many countries. However, it remains prevalent, including in parts of Europe. Despite growing attention to school violence, limited research has centred the experiences of students with disabilities from an intersectional perspective. This article draws on an exploratory qualitative study, focusing on the experiences of violence among students with visual impairments in a private school in Nepal. The findings show how judgements of ability differences are shaped not only by disability but also by expectations of obedience to school authorities, global and local language hierarchies, especially the high value placed on English as a global language and gendered restrictions, contributing to the reproduction of violence. The analysis suggests that an intersectional approach, which considers the entanglement of broader sociocultural, economic, political and global processes, is useful for understanding how violence against students with disabilities is reproduced through everyday relationships, by illustrating how pathologisation operates intersectionally. Building on this analysis, the article suggests a relational political economy of violence, highlighting how human relationships can mediate structural power and individual experiences.