CANCEL CULTURE AND THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: IMPACTS ON IDENTITY FORMATION AND THE EDUCATIONAL CLIMATE

Abstract

This article addresses the theme of cancel culture and its impacts on the school environment, focusing on the construction of student identity and the relationships that influence the contemporary educational climate. The choice of this theme is justified by the growth of social interactions mediated by digital technologies and the intensification of practices of public exposure, collective judgments, and symbolic exclusion—phenomena that have begun to directly interfere with school life and the emotional development of children, adolescents, and young people. In this context, the research sought to answer the following question: how does cancel culture influence the construction of student identity and the educational climate in educational institutions? The overall objective of the study was to analyze the impacts of this phenomenon on interpersonal relationships and the educational context, identifying theoretical contributions capable of broadening the understanding of the challenges posed by contemporary digital social dynamics. Methodologically, this research is characterized as a literature review, with a qualitative approach and exploratory nature, developed from the analysis of 14 scientific articles published between 2018 and 2025, in addition to the use of a classic work by Paulo Freire published in 1996. The materials were selected from academic databases such as Google Scholar, SciELO, and scientific journals in Portuguese. Data analysis was carried out through thematic and interpretative analysis, allowing the results to be organized into different discussion axes related to digital culture, emotional health, school coexistence, and identity formation. The results showed that cancel culture produces significant impacts on the self-esteem, sense of belonging, and emotional health of students, favoring practices of intolerance, exclusion, and symbolic violence in the school environment. Furthermore, it was observed that social networks potentiate interpersonal conflicts and hinder the construction of relationships based on empathy and respect for differences. It is concluded that the school plays a fundamental role in addressing this problem, and it is necessary to strengthen humanized educational practices, socio-emotional education actions, and strategies aimed at the conscious use of digital technologies, contributing to the construction of more inclusive, welcoming, and democratic school environments.