Over the last few decades, there has been a marked increase in media and debate surrounding a specific group of offences in modern Democratic nations which bear the brunt of the label 'crimes against morality'. Included within this group are offences related to prostitution and pornography, homosexuality and incest and child sexual abuse. This book examines the nexus between sex, crime and morality from a theoretical perspective. This is the first academic text to offer an examination and analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of sex-related crimes and social attitudes towards them and the historical, anthropological and moral reasons for differentiating these crimes in contemporary western culture. The book is divided into three sections corresponding to three theoretical frameworks: Part 1 examines the moral temporality of sex and taboo as a foundation for legislation governing sex crimes Part 2 focuses on the geography of sex and deviance, specifically notions of public morality and the public private divide Part 3 examines the moral economy of sex and harm, including the social construction of harm. Sex, Crime and Morality will be key reading for students of criminology, criminal justice, gender studies and ethics, and will also be of interest to justice professionals.

Treating men as a culturally distinct group, Rich Furman integrates key conceptions of masculinity into culturally sensitive social work practice with men. Focusing on veterans, displaced workers, substance abusers, mental health consumers, and other groups that might be unlikely to seek help, Furman deftly explores the psychosocial development of men, along with the globalization of men's lives, alternative conceptions of masculinity, and special dynamics within male relationships.

Furman bolsters his conclusions with case studies and evidence-based interventions. His cutting-edge research merges four key social work theories and explores how they inform practice with mental health issues, compulsive disorders, addiction, and violence. By promoting gender equity and culturally competent practice with men, Furman bridges the gap between clinical and macro practice. "Social Work Practice with Men at Risk" is a crucial text for educators and practitioners hoping to pursue effective, far-reaching interventions.

One look at our cultural moment and it's easy to tell that men and their identities are in crisis. Though lost and fractured, men face the pressure to be perfect. Our reactionary society is quick to condemn and slow to forgive, leaving men more confused than ever about how to live and who to be. Yet in Scripture, we continually find God choosing to work in and through flawed, imperfect, and broken individuals. Men who had massive character flaws and significant moral failings, but who also shared one important characteristic: the desire to follow the call of their Creator. With engaging personal stories and insight into biblical truths, Nathan Clarkson declares to today's man that he is more than what the culture is telling him he is--angry, selfish, predatory, violent, and bored. Instead, still on the journey himself, Nathan calls today's man to find his identity in the One who created him on purpose, for a purpose, and encourages him to live an honest, authentic life marked by a winsome combination of confidence and humility.

The Routledge Companion to Romantic Love is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary reference work essential for students and researchers interested in the field of love, romance and popular romance fiction. This first-of-its-kind volume illustrates the broad and interdisciplinary nature of love studies. International contributors, including leaders in their field, reflect a range of perspectives from cultural studies, history, literature, popular romance studies, American studies, sociology and gender studies. Comprising over 30 chapters by a team of international contributors the Companion is divided into 12 parts: Love, romance and historical and social change Love and feminist discourses Love and popular romance fiction Love, gender and sexuality Romancing Australia South and Southeast Asian romance communities Nation, place and identity in US popular romance novels Romantic love and national identity in Chinese and Taiwanese discourses of love Muslim and Middle Eastern romances Discourses of romance fiction and technologies of power Writing love and romance Legal and theological fiction and sexual politics This is an important and unique collection aimed at researchers and students across cultural studies, women and gender studies, literature studies and sociology.

Pornography is powerful. Our contemporary culture as been pornified, and it shapes our assumptions about identity, sexuality, the value of women and the nature of relationships. Countless Christian men struggle with the addictive power of porn. But common spiritual approaches of more prayer and accountability groups are often of limited help. In this book neuroscientist and researcher William Struthers explains how pornography affects the male brain and what we can do about it. Because we are embodied beings, viewing pornography changes how the brain works, how we form memories and make attachments. By better understanding the biological realities of our sexual development, we can cultivate healthier sexual perspectives and interpersonal relationships. Struthers exposes false assumptions and casts a vision for a redeemed masculinity, showing how our sexual longings can actually propel us toward sanctification and holiness in our bodies. With insights for both married and single men alike, this book offers hope for freedom from pornography.

This book examines key themes and concepts pertaining to religious and sexual identities and expressions, mapping theoretical, methodological, and empirical dimensions. It explores the ways in which debates around sexuality and religion have been framed, and what research is still needed to expand the field as it develops. Through the deployment of contemporary research, including data from the authors' own projects, Religion and Sexualities offers an encompassing account of the sociology of sexuality and religion, considering theoretical and methodological lenses, queer experiences, and how sexuality is gendered in religious contexts. This comprehensive text will act as an essential accompaniment to scholars and students across the social sciences and humanities, whether they have a general interest in the field or are embarking on their own research in this area.

Failures don't need to be final, and disappointment doesn't need to be defining. Come along on a wild, hilarious, faith-building ride, and let The Art of Getting It Wrong guide you toward hope for the future and the freedom to love your life exactly where you are. Long before his YouTube channel, The Miller Fam, became a viral sensation, Stephen Miller got a ton of things wrong. He knows what it's like to endure countless failed endeavors, make too many rash decisions, and feel deep discouragement when life doesn't go as planned--sometimes all before breakfast. But those experiences taught him a powerful lesson: it's going to be okay. With the characteristic authenticity, love, and humor Stephen shows in his YouTube videos, The Art of Getting It Wrong offers timeless truths and never-before-told stories of misadventures and out-of-control disappointments that will encourage you to: See the good at work in your life, even when you make mistakes Look for the laugh in every situation Embrace the truth--whether it's a warm hug or a kick in the teeth Believe in yourself and grow in your sense of self-worth Discover the power of grace, both for others and for yourself Join Stephen as he shares what it means to turn failures, mishaps, and disappointments into a life of fun and fulfillment--even when it's not what you expected. Praise for The Art of Getting It Wrong: "With his trademark passion, humor, and optimism, Stephen Miller brings an important and timely message for us in The Art of Getting It Wrong. We all need a friend who can remind us that it's going to be okay, even when life's disappointments, failures, or deep hurts threaten to pull us down." --Lysa TerKeurst, #1 New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries "If you find yourself trying to get back up after falling down, you'll find this book brimming with encouragement and buoyant with hope." --Dr. Darren Whitehead, lead pastor, Church of the City, Nashville, Tennessee

Find out what it's like to be young, African-American . . . and a father Voices of African-American Teen Fathers is an insightful look at adolescent pregnancy and parenthood through the eyes of fathers aged 14 to 19. This unique book features candid interviews with thirty teens who talk about doing what I got to dohandling their responsibilities as best they can given their perceptions, limitations, and life experiences. Teens talk about how and why they became fathers, how they handle being a parent, their perceptions of fatherhood, the relationships they have with their parents and the mothers of their children, and how they deal with the everyday struggles, demands, and concerns they face. Nearly one million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant each year in the United States and most of the available research on adolescent parenthood focused on them. We know little about African-American adolescent fathers or about their perspectives on the cultural and socioeconomic conditions that define their experience. Voices of African-American Teen Fathers provides an understanding of these young fathers on their own terms and suggests theoretical frameworks, assessment tools, and effective interventions to develop a plan of action to help African-American adolescent fathers fulfill their roles. Helpful appendixes, including an interview guide and biographies of the particpants, are included, as are six tables that make complex information easy to access and understand. Voices of African-American Teen Fathers examines tough issues, including: intimate, amicable, or antagonistic relationships with their children's mothers relationships with their own mothers and fathers racism and discrimination child support loss of independence transportation problems drugs socioeconomic issues and much more Voices of African-American Teen Fathers is an invaluable resource for counselors, family educators, social service organizations, community practitioners, and social scientists.

Out of His Mind interrogates how Victorians made sense of the madman as both a social reality and a cultural representation. Even at the height of enthusiasm for the curative powers of nineteenth-century psychiatry, to be certified as a lunatic meant a loss of one's freedom and in many ways one's identify. Because men had the most power and authority in Victorian Britain, this also meant they had the most to lose. The madman was often a marginal figure, confined in private homes, hospitals, and asylums. Yet as a cultural phenomenon he loomed large, tapping into broader social anxieties about respectability, masculine self-control, and fears of degeneration. Using a wealth of case notes, press accounts, literature, medical and government reports, this text provides a rich window into public understandings and personal experiences of men's insanity. -- .

There continues to be much concern about the retention and persistent of men in college, particularly Black, Latinx, and Native American men. In addition, queer and trans* men also have found institutions to be problematic spaces. For those who do persist, we know that men are overrepresented in student conduct cases and engage in risky behaviors around alcohol, drug use, and sexual relationships. Additionally, we know that college men have historically avoided engaging in help-seeking behaviors for their academic and personal success. This book addresses the ways that theory can be put into practice for powerful, transformative learning to support college men and their development. This book synthesizes the research of the past three decades on college men to inform college student educators on the developmental needs of college men and illuminates how young men are socialized prior to their arrival to campus, but perhaps more importantly, how the collegiate environment becomes a training ground for the socialization of masculinities by students, their peers, and their environments. Beyond that it aims to set out how practitioners can help young men understand why and how they have been socialized around their gender identity, but also what their gender identity and sense of masculinity means for their future selves. The book highlights programs and services designed to have college men engage with and dialogue around issues of hegemonic, toxic, or unhealthy aspects of masculinity. These promising practices can offer college men opportunities to understand their power, privilege, and identity in ways that can be affirming and healthier, leading to more life-giving chances. This is all the more important in the context of an ever-evolving society where traditionally held norms and expectations around gender, particularly masculinities, are shifting. This book equips student affairs staff, faculty, and administrators to better support college men's development. It offers readers insights, ideas, and models for adapting and developing programs, services, and initiatives that may meaningfully meet the needs of specific student populations, while recognizing that there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to this work.

Modernism and Masculinity investigates the varied dimensions and manifestations of masculinity in the modernist period. Thirteen essays from leading scholars reframe critical trends in modernist studies by examining distinctive features of modernist literary and cultural work through the lens of masculinity and male privilege. The volume attends to masculinity as an unstable horizon of gendered ideologies, subjectivities and representational practices, allowing for fresh interdisciplinary treatments of celebrated and lesser-known authors, artists and theorists such as D. H. Lawrence, Ezra Pound, Henry Roth, Theodor Adorno and Paul Robeson as well as modernist avant-garde movements such as vorticism, surrealism and futurism. As diverse as the masculinities that were played out across the early twentieth century, the approaches and arguments featured in this collection will appeal especially to scholars and students of modernist literature and culture, gender studies and English literature more broadly.

How were male bodies viewed before the Enlightenment? And what does this reveal about attitudes towards sex and gender in premodern Europe? This richly textured cultural history investigates the characterization of the sex of adult male bodies from ancient Greece to the seventeenth century. Before the modern focus on the phallic, penetrative qualities of male anatomy, Patricia Simons finds that men's bodies were considered in terms of their active physiological characteristics, in relation to semen, testicles and what was considered innately masculine heat. Re-orienting attention from an anatomical to a physiological focus, and from fertility to pleasure, Simons argues that women's sexual agency was perceived in terms of active reception of the valuable male seed. This provocative, compelling study draws on visual, material and textual evidence to elucidate a broad range of material, from medical learning, high art and literary metaphors to obscene badges, codpieces and pictorial or oral jokes.

Stars and Masculinities in Spanish Cinema focuses on the careers of ten contemporary Spanish film stars, including Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem, and Eduardo Noriega. Set in the double context of new approaches to Star Studies and current debates around masculinity, this is a key contribution to the growing fields of Spanish Cultural and Film Studies.

This book explores ideas of masculinity in the maritime world in the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. During this time commerce, politics and technology supported male privilege, while simultaneously creating the polite, consumerist and sedentary lifestyles that were perceived as damaging the minds and bodies of men. This volume explores this paradox through the figure of the sailor, a working-class man whose representation fulfilled numerous political and social ends in this period. It begins with the enduring image of romantic, heroic veterans of the Napeolonic wars, takes the reader through the challenges to masculinities created by encounters with other races and ethnicities, and with technological change, shifting geopolitical and cultural contexts, and ends with the fragile portrayal of masculinity in the imagined Nelson. In doing so, this edited collection shows that maritime masculinities (ideals, representations and the seamen themselves) were highly visible and volatile sites for negotiating the tensions of masculinities with civilisation, race, technology, patriotism, citizenship, and respectability during the long nineteenth century.

This book examines men, masculinities and sexualities in Western theatrical dance, offering insights into the processes, actions and interactions that occur in dance institutions around gender-transgressive acts, and the factors that set limits to transgression. This text uses interview and observation data to analyze the conditions that encourage some boys and young men to become involved in this widely unconventional activity, and the ways through which they negotiate the gendered and sexual attachments of their professional identity. Most importantly, the book analyzes the opportunities male dancers find to develop a reflexive habitus, engage in gender transgressive acts and experiment with their sexuality. At the same time, it approaches gender and sexuality as embodied, and therefore as parts of identity that are not as easily amendable. This book will be of interest to scholars in Gender and Sexuality Studies as well as Dance and Performance Studies.

'Odets's warm and lyrical voice, his inspiring picture of how imaginative gay life can be, has sent me queuing for the couch.' Evening Standard 'A gay man could read this book as if his life depended on it - and perhaps it does' Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance Even in our modern progressive world, it's not easy to be a gay man. While young men often come out more readily, even those from the most liberal of backgrounds still struggle to accept themselves and experience stigma, shame and difficulties with intimate relationships. They also suffer from ongoing trauma wrought by the AIDS epidemic, something that is all too often relegated to history. Drawing on a lifetime's work as a clinical psychologist, Walt Odets uses the stories of his patients as well as those of his own deep relationships with other gay men to illuminate how these difficulties may be overcome. From a 74-year-old who only felt able to come out after his wife had died, to the boy raised in a strict religious family who worked his way to San Francisco, to the middle-aged defence lawyer who left everything behind to embrace a new life, the experiences here explore everything from grief to survival, childhood pain to the definition of gay itself. Out of the Shadows shows us how a new way forward is possible through learning to accept ourselves and others as they are, and independently inventing our own lives.

This book enters a new liminal space between the LGBTQ and denominational Christian communities. It simultaneously explores how those who identify as queer can find a home in church and how those leading welcoming, or indeed unwelcoming, congregations can better serve both communities. The primary argument is that queer inclusion must not merely mean an assimilation into existing heteronormative respectability and approval. Chapters are written by a diverse collection of Asian, Latin American, and U.S. theologians, religious studies scholars and activists. Each of them writes from their own social context to address the notion of LGBTQ alternative orthodoxies and praxes pertaining to God, the saints, failure of the church, queer eschatologies, and erotic economies. Engaging with issues that are not only faced by those in the theological academy, but also by clergy and congregants, the book addresses those impacted by a history of Christian hostility and violence who have become suspicious of attempts at "acceptance". It also sets out an encouragement for queer theologians and clergy think deeply about how they form communities where queer perspectives are proactively included. This is a forward-looking and positive vision of a more inclusive theology and ecclesiology. It will, therefore, appeal to scholars of Queer Theology and Religious Studies as well as practitioners seeking a fresh perspective on church and the LGBTQ community.

This book explores the concept of homonormativity and examines how the politics of homonormativity has shaped the lives and practices of gay men living primarily in the UK. The book adopts a case study approach in order to examine how homonormativity is shaping relationships within gay male culture, and between this culture and mainstream society. The book features chapters on same-sex marriage, HIV treatment, dating and hook-up culture, sexualized drug use and the world of work. Throughout these chapters, the book develops a conversation regarding the role that neoliberalism has played in defining gay male identities and practices in the UK and USA. If homonormativity is understood as the sexual politics of neoliberalism, this book considers to what extent those sexual politics pervade gay men's sense of self, their relationships with each other, their experience of the spaces they occupy in everyday life, and the identities they inhabit in the workplace.blematizing the concept of homonormativity.

Extending from the belief that masculinities are multiple, consisting of complexities and constructions that make up the traits associated with each, this book explores the various ways in which boys and men are conditioned to view women as inferior to themselves and predominantly sexual objects-and the deleterious effects this has on both women and men, society, and culture at large. Beginning in childhood, the book provides a critical framework to understand one form of masculinity referred to as "bro culture," and how it is reproduced and reinforced through popular culture, social institutions, and patriarchal forms of religion and politics. Weaving together current research with illuminating historical and contemporary examples, Thomas Keith unpacks the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that constitute this subculture and reveals the ways in which traditional and outdated codes of manhood, power, and gender relations have evolved into problematic forms of sexism, misogyny, and abuse. For as much as popular culture is revealed to be a contributing factor in the passage of bro codes, the book also includes examples of cultural forces that are challenging and seeking to overthrow the core tenets in powerful and lasting ways. Timely and thought-provoking, The Bro Code addresses the implications of an enduring social problem and moves us to reflect on ways to empower men away from this toxic form of masculinity.

This book deepens readers' knowledge and understanding of the nature of domestic violence and sexual abuse involving male same-sex partners, and of dating violence against gay men and related issues in the European Union (EU). Drawing on non-probability samples, it addresses the propensities of refugees and migrant gay men in Germany and the prevalence of sexual abuse directed toward these men by illustrating their experiences as victims. In closing, the book explores the challenges of identifying sexual abuse victimization within the gay community, as well as the implications for practice, policy, and future research.

"The Trouble with Men" is a collection of original essays focusing on masculinity and film, particularly the representation of European masculinity. Spilt into four sections - stars, class and race, fathers and bodies - areas covered include the Carmen films, Yiddish cinema, romantic comedy and beur cinema. National cinemas discussed include Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and France, and featured films include "Gladiator, Batman, Billy Elliot, Notting Hill" and "Fight Club," Michael Caine's status as a working class hero is featured alongside Gene Kelly and camp, and Alain Delon's spectacular masculinity.

Examining changing role models for masculine identity--from cowboy in the 1950s to Terminator in the 1990s, from flesh-and-blood man to machine--this book suggests that men need new role models and that sufficient room needs to be left for the expression of male vulnerability, a psychic space that would accept attitudes and behaviors traditionally labeled as "feminine." This new model, Badinter argues, may reduce the profound effects of homophobia and misogyny.

The nature of masculinity is a popular subject for contemporary authors, either treated critically from a sociological standpoint, or analysed from a psychological and spiritual perspective.
In Remaking Men: Jung, Spirituality and Social Change, David Tacey argues that we must strive to bridge the gap between these separate traditions - masculinity should neither be hijacked by the spiritual, Jung-influenced men's movement, nor discussed merely as a product of socio-political forces.
Examining his own and other men's experience in a critical and lively discourse he evades the simplistic optimism of the "inner journey" approach and the chronic pessimism of contemporary academic arguments. This is a fascinating and very accessible look at masculinity for those who want to explore self and society with intelligence and soul.

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This book examines men, masculinities and sexualities in Western theatrical dance, offering insights into the processes, actions and interactions that occur in dance institutions around gender-transgressive acts, and the factors that set limits to transgression. This text uses interview and observation data to analyze the conditions that encourage some boys and young men to become involved in this widely unconventional activity, and the ways through which they negotiate the gendered and sexual attachments of their professional identity. Most importantly, the book analyzes the opportunities male dancers find to develop a reflexive habitus, engage in gender transgressive acts and experiment with their sexuality. At the same time, it approaches gender and sexuality as embodied, and therefore as parts of identity that are not as easily amendable. This book will be of interest to scholars in Gender and Sexuality Studies as well as Dance and Performance Studies.

Masculinities in Contemporary American Culture offers readers a multidisciplinary, intersectional overview of masculinity studies that includes both theoretical and applied lenses. Keith combines current research with historical perspectives to demonstrate the contexts in which masculine identities have come evolved. With an emphasis on popular culture -- particularly film, TV, video games, and music -- this text invites students to examine their gendered sensibilities and discuss the ways in which different forms of media appeal to toxic masculinity.