Reactions to School Violence in an Online Newspaper: A Thematic Analysis of VnExpress Users’ Comments

Abstract

This article aims to examine how online newspaper readers react to school violence through 4,364 comments extracted from 36 news articles tagged "bạo lực học đường" (school violence) from September to December 2023 in the Education category on VnExpress, which is the most-read online newspaper in Vietnam and is known to prioritize objectivity and "readers first" philosophy. This article is based on reception theory and uses the thematic analysis approach. The findings show nine types of reactions, each representing different viewpoints and connected by the nature of complex ideas in a comment. This research has offered valuable insights into the societal dynamics related to the issue of school violence, enriching the ongoing discourse on this topic and laying the groundwork for global policymakers, educators, and stakeholders to formulate well-informed strategies and initiatives to address this challenge effectively.