Families’ Discourse in Polarized Societies When Talking about Violence with Their Children in Catalonia

This chapter focuses on families due to their social and educational potential as peacebuilders and their partnership with the school. Its main objectives are to find out how parents talk to their children about different forms of violence that affect them and to identify possible deficiencies in their communication skills. Based on the responses of 1,480 families in Catalonia (Spain), the results show that more than three-quarters think that our society is violent; however, their involvement in community affairs is minoritarian. Moreover, half confess that they spend more time on screens than talking and that, in family discussions, they lack empathy, lose mutual respect, shout, and get aggressive. In conclusion, more studies on families are needed in the light of the culture of peace to know how to reinforce their skills and promote parenting models that are more democratic, dialogic, and committed to the common good.