Virginia Tech Shooting: Lessons for Dismantling Norms About Violence

Presented by: Huey-li Li and Michiko Pence
Presented at: Second International Summit on Conflict Resolution Education
Date of Session: March 29, 2008

Session Description: On April 17, 2007, the Virginia Tech shooting in the U.S. drew immense attention to Seung-Hui Cho as an "atypical" or even an "extraordinary" violent perpetrator. This presentation offers a preliminary inquiry into pedagogical actions for addressing the intersections among gender, race, ethnicity, social class, mental illness, and violence. The limitations of the thinking that pervaded the recent public discourse on the Virginia Tech Shooting will be revealed and a responsive pedagogical action proposed.