Synopses & Reviews
In todays schools, kids bullying kids is not an occasional occurrence but rather an everyday reality where children learn early that being sensitive, respectful, and kind earns them no respect. Jessie Klein makes the provocative argument that the rise of school shootings across America, and childhood aggression more broadly, are the consequences of a society that actually promotes aggressive and competitive behavior. The Bully Society is a call to reclaim Americas schools from the vicious cycle of aggression that threatens our children and our society at large.
Heartbreaking interviews illuminate how both boys and girls obtain status by acting “masculine”—displaying aggression at one anothers expense as both students and adults police one another to uphold gender stereotypes. Klein shows that the aggressive ritual of gender policing in American culture creates emotional damage that perpetuates violence through revenge, and that this cycle is the main cause of not only the many school shootings that have shocked America, but also related problems in schools, manifesting in high rates of suicide, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-cutting, truancy, and substance abuse. After two decades working in schools as a school social worker and professor, Klein proposes ways to transcend these destructive trends—transforming school bully societies into compassionate communities.
Review
"The author writes with clarity and compassion... she offers an opportunity for us to examine, discuss and consider the world we have created for our children." -Kirkus Reviews,
Review
"In this thorough examination of the connection between bullying and three decades of school shootings in America, Adelphi University professor Klein presents a compelling case that the strict gender rules by which American children and teenagers are unfairly forced to live are the driving factors in school violence."-Publishers Weekly,
Review
"Exceptionally readable, abundant examples, and full of salient suggestions for social change; no future discussion of this topic can afford to ignore The Bully Society." — James W. Messerschmidt, author of Hegemonic Masculinities and Camouflaged Politics
Review
"Taking the horrific rampage school shootings as a starting point, Jessie Klein resists pop-psychology profiling, and instead lets the events ramify outwards, to a searing indictment of the cultures of cruelty, entitlement and indifference in which those acts take place." — Michael Kimmel, author of Guyland
Review
"The Bully Society is riveting and powerful--Jessie Klein uncovers the roots of depression, school shootings, and other despair in American schools and offers brilliant and doable solutions. This amazing and hopeful book is a clarion call to all concerned about children;
Review
"Klein, a former school counselor who now teaches sociology and criminal justice, forms a coherent, heartbreaking narrative of how bullying works."-The Boston Globe,
Review
"Readers wanting an in-depth explanation of whats behind school bullying will get that and much more in The Bully Society. Professor Klein has rendered an exceedingly thorough analysis of the bullying and hate crimes and shootings that have shocked America in the last decade or so. In addition, Dr. Klein makes a compelling argument that the causes of bullying are rooted in the American culture itself—an obsession with masculinity and hyper-individualism that promotes competition over collaboration and denies young people the kinds of authentic bonding experiences that encourage the development of healthy self-esteem."-New York Journal of Books,
Review
"Written for a diverse audience, this is an important read for higher education as a teaching tool, for training educators in today's schools, and for helping to appropriately respond to the phenomenon of bullying in today's schools. Destined to emerge as an important text."-CHOICE,
Review
"A scholarly, insightful commentary on aggression and violence within peer groups....this title is highly recommended for professional shelves and teacher training courses."-VOYA,
Review
"The Bully Society is a remarkably accessible book and can be read both by students, teachers, and parents. It is an important tool to use when combating bullying in high schools."-Metapsychology,
Synopsis
. A coherent, heartbreaking narrative of how bullying works. The Boston Globe . The author writes with clarity and compassion offers an opportunity for us to examine, discuss, and consider the world. Kirkus Reviews . Resists pop-psychology profiling a searing indcitment of the cultures of cruelty, entitlement and indifference. Michael Kimmel, author of Guyland . Exceptionally readable, abundant examples, and full of salient suggestions. James W. Messerschmidt, author of Hegemonic Masculinities and Camouflaged Politics . Riveting and powerful Amazing and hopeful Poignant and timely A must read. Liz Murray, author of Breaking Night . This powerful, necessary book Illuminates a very dark problem, and proposes solutions. Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon . A compelling case. Publishers Weekly . An exceedingly thorough analysis. New York Journal of Books . Destined to emerge as an important text. CHOICE . A scholarly, insightful commentary highly recommended. VOYA A remarkably accessible book and An important tool. Metapsychology"
Synopsis
- -A coherent, heartbreaking narrative of how bullying works.- -
The Boston Globe - -The author writes with clarity and compassion... offers an opportunity for us to examine, discuss, and consider the world.- - Kirkus Reviews
- -Resists pop-psychology profiling... a searing indcitment of the cultures of cruelty, entitlement and indifference.- - Michael Kimmel, author of
Guyland - -Exceptionally readable, abundant examples, and full of salient suggestions.- - James W. Messerschmidt, author of Hegemonic Masculinities and Camouflaged Politics
- -Riveting and powerful... Amazing and hopeful... Poignant and timely... A must read.- - Liz Murray, author of
Breaking Night - -This powerful, necessary book... Illuminates a very dark problem, and proposes solutions.- - Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon
- -A compelling case.- -
Publishers Weekly - -An exceedingly thorough analysis.- - New York Journal of Books
- -Destined to emerge as an important text.- -
CHOICE - -A scholarly, insightful commentary... highly recommended.- - VOYA
-A remarkably accessible book and... An important tool.- -
MetapsychologySynopsis
Choice's Outstanding Academic Title list for 2013
Through interviews and case studies, Klein develops an explanation for bully behavior in America's schools
In today's schools, kids bullying kids is not an occasional occurrence but rather an everyday reality where children learn early that being sensitive, respectful, and kind earns them no respect. Jessie Klein makes the provocative argument that the rise of school shootings across America, and childhood aggression more broadly, are the consequences of a society that actually promotes aggressive and competitive behavior. The Bully Society is a call to reclaim America's schools from the vicious cycle of aggression that threatens our children and our society at large.
Heartbreaking interviews illuminate how both boys and girls obtain status by acting "masculine"--displaying aggression at one another's expense as both students and adults police one another to uphold gender stereotypes. Klein shows that the aggressive ritual of gender policing in American culture creates emotional damage that perpetuates violence through revenge, and that this cycle is the main cause of not only the many school shootings that have shocked America, but also related problems in schools, manifesting in high rates of suicide, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-cutting, truancy, and substance abuse. After two decades working in schools as a school social worker and professor, Klein proposes ways to transcend these destructive trends--transforming school bully societies into compassionate communities.
Synopsis
In today's schools, kids bullying kids is not an occasional occurrence but rather an everyday reality where children learn early that being sensitive, respectful, and kind earns them no respect. Jessie Klein makes the provocative argument that the rise of school shootings across America, and childhood aggression more broadly, are the consequences of a society that actually promotes aggressive and competitive behavior.
The Bully Society is a call to reclaim America's schools from the vicious cycle of aggression that threatens our children and our society at large.
Heartbreaking interviews illuminate how both boys and girls obtain status by acting "masculine"
Synopsis
About the Author
Jessie Klein, PhD, MSW, M.Ed. is Assistant Professor of Sociology/Criminal Justice at Adelphi University. Over the last two decades, she also led and administered high school guidance programs. She served as a supervisor, school social worker, college adviser, social studies teacher, substance abuse prevention counselor and conflict resolution coordinator. Her writing appears in scholarly journals as well as popular media. She is available for speaking events; and offers consultations for schools interested in building compassionate communities leading to more peaceful, effective and productive education environments.
Table of Contents
AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Gender Police1 Social Status Wars2 Masculinity and White Supremacy 3 Violence against Girls4 Gay Bashing5 Girl Bashing6 Cyber-Bullying 7 Adult Bullies8 The Bully Economy 9 America Is from Mars, Europe Is from Venus10 Creating Kinder Schools and Cyberspaces Conclusion: From a Bully Society to Compassionate Communities Appendix: Methodology Notes Index About the Author