Description: An important and timely reassessment of a crucial theory in male violence against women
Review Quotes:
"The work of DeKeseredy and Schwartz covers ground from several decades regarding violence against women. The authors present historical context, follow the development of male-peer support theory, identify definitional battles in the field, and outline what we know about this topic. Going beyond most treatments of the topic, the authors offer progressive policies and personal actions derived from theory to stop violence against women. While all of these contributions are commenable, the book's greatest contribution is making clear for the reader that the real source of the problem of violence against women is not the victims or their behaviors - rather a key source is patriarchal male peer support." --Callie Marie Rennison, Ph.DUniversity of Colorado Denver, School of Public Affairs
"In the tradition of C. Wright Mills, DeKeseredy and Schwartz show that violence against women is not due to the pathology of selected individuals but rather is woven tightly into the very fabric of gender relations. Indeed, now in a mature stage of development, their male peer support theory provides both a compelling explanation for why women's victimization persists and a framework for illuminating realistic solutions to this disquieting social problem. Their volume is destined to be a contemporary criminological classic."
--Francis T. Cullen, Distinguished Research Professor, University of Cincinnati
"For two decades, Walter DeKeseredy and Martin Schwartz have mapped the distinctly social dynamics of men's violence against women, locating the source of this social problem not in individual psychopathology but as an expression of deeply embedded social dynamics among men. This welcome summary of their research makes these dynamics clear -- and thus points the way towards a collective accountability to end men's violence against women." --Michael Kimmel, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies