School violence is a significant issue in the United States as well as in many other countries. Past research often focused on the individual characteristics of the perpetrators such as their personality or behavior patterns. Less attention is paid to the interactive nature and symbolic meaning of those aggressive acts. This article utilized a symbolic interactionist approach, especially Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical theory, in understanding the causes and functions of interpersonal violence at school. From this perspective, students’ aggression can be viewed as a form of social interaction in which the offenders attempt to gain social status by manipulating the definition of situation both physically and symbolically. These violent incidents can serve as interpersonal rituals or scripted performances in which the offenders, victims, and bystanders all play a role. On the other hand, youths do not invent those “performances” all by themselves. Instead, they pick up elements in their cultures and largely follow certain existing scripts in corresponding to their social positions such as race, class, and gender. Implications for practice were discussed.
