Psychology - Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis in Masculinity

The question that really comes out of this is: Why are boys behaving in this way? Why is 90% of violence committed by boys and men? Thats a point that a lot of people dont want to hear, but if you look at the culture these kids are immersed in, violence is a normal, natural part, not just of the world, but of being masculine or being a male person in the world. Its not just in these few places (like video games or movies) but its in what passes for normal culture. It is part of the normal training and conditioning and socialization of boys and men. In this innovative and wide-ranging analysis, Jackson Katz argues that widespread violence in American society, including the tragic school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, Jonesboro, Arkansas, and elsewhere, needs to be understood as part of an ongoing crisis in masculinity. This exciting new media literacy tool - utilizing racially diverse subject matter and examples - will enlighten and provoke students (both males and females) to evaluate their own participation in the culture of contemporary masculinity.