Understanding America's Gun Culture focuses on building understanding of some of the issues associated with U.S. gun culture and the contemporary debate about the availability and use of guns. This edited volume is unique in that it draws on a wide variety of disciplines and presents perspectives on both sides of the debate. Contributors hail from the academic disciplines of history, social work, criminal justice, sociology, religion, and theological ethics as well as policy agencies. Some chapters examine the issues social-psychologically to help readers better understand dynamics within the debate. Others pose important ethical and philosophical questions about gun culture. Still others address practical policy solutions for enhancing gun safety and minimizing gun violence, even bringing in international perspectives. This second edition includes literature published in the last two years and two new chapters, one focusing on gender within gun culture and another that features a conversation between the editors and an ethnographic researcher with broad expertise in gun culture and research and policy trends. Together, the chapters create a thought-provoking compilation that offers insightful findings, considers theoretical and practical implications, and invites further exploration of the topic.

Understanding America's Gun Culture focuses on building understanding of some of the issues associated with US gun culture and the contemporary debate about the availability and use of guns. This edited volume is unique in that it draws on a wide variety of disciplines and presents perspectives on both sides of the debate. Contributors hail from the academic disciplines of history, social work, criminal justice, sociology, religion, and theological ethics as well as policy agencies. Some chapters examine the issues social-psychologically to help readers better understand dynamics within the debate. Others pose important ethical and philosophical questions about gun culture. Still others address practical policy solutions for enhancing gun safety and minimizing gun violence, even bringing in international perspectives. Together, the chapters create a thought-provoking compilation that offers insightful findings, considers theoretical and practical implications, and invites further exploration of the topic.

Understanding America’s Gun Culture focuses on building understanding of some of the issues associated with US gun culture and the contemporary debate about the availability and use of guns. This edited volume is unique in that it draws on a wide variety of disciplines and presents perspectives on both sides of the debate. Contributors hail from the academic disciplines of history, social work, criminal justice, sociology, religion, and theological ethics as well as policy agencies. Some chapters examine the issues social-psychologically to help readers better understand dynamics within the debate. Others pose important ethical and philosophical questions about gun culture. Still others address practical policy solutions for enhancing gun safety and minimizing gun violence, even bringing in international perspectives. Together, the chapters create a thought-provoking compilation that offers insightful findings, considers theoretical and practical implications, and invites further exploration of the topic.

The book presents 2 years of work examining truancy. The study focused on the school environment as a key factor in school disengagement and explored the impact of schools' social bonding opportunities on chronic truancy, as perceived by middle school administrators. A cross-sectional online survey consisting of 81 items was completed by 99 Indiana public middle schools administrators. The results showed that chronic truancy was directly and indirectly influenced when students had a belief in the value of school and were involved in school activities. For many years, schools did not see meeting students' social needs as part of their responsibility. However, as evident from this study, schools that focus on student social bonding or engagement in school have lower rates of chronic truancy. With more time in pro-social activities, students will have higher stakes in school and less time to engage in delinquency. The crux of the matter is that the school has a huge role to play in whether students value school and thereby invest in it.

This timely book begins a conversation about a field of practice which has been marred by victims of all kinds, races, and cultures. The author aims is to allow a platform for a country-to-country dialogue. A conversation that centers not only on where people are physically located, but what violence means when coupled with gender differences. This book examines different types of violence and its effect on different cultures from a global perspective, but also shares the prevalence and implications these acts have for humanity as a whole.