No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming our Young Men
... The fact that gender patterns vary across different outcomes has led to some confusion and seemingly contradictory accounts in the popular press and public discourse. Specifically, while some proclaim a "boy crisis" in schools, still others argue that girls remain strongly disadvantaged in an educational system rooted in patriarchy (Corbett et al. 2008;Sommers 2000). From a theoretical standpoint, research within the sociology of education has done relatively little to help make sense of these complex patterns of gender inequality. ...
... In a metaanalysis of the female advantage in school grades from kindergarten through high school, Voyer and Voyer (2014) find that girls' grades are consistently higher than boys' across all academic subjects, with the largest gaps in language courses and the smallest gaps in math courses. Furthermore, they find no evidence for an increasing female advantage over time, discrediting arguments that boys today are in a new school achievement crisis (Sommers 2000). Although teachers do reward students' non-cognitive characteristics, such as effort and engagement, with higher grades (Farkas et al. 1990), recent empirical evidence finds that only substantive engagement leads to higher grades, as opposed to less academically-relevant forms of positive classroom behavior (Kelly 2008). ...
Gender and race/ethnicity function as major axes of social stratification in the United States, and males and those from White backgrounds have historically occupied a position of advantage within the educational system. Although there has been progress towards decreasing inequality in recent decades, gender disparities and, to a much greater extent, racial/ethnic disparities remain in educational outcomes. This chapter reviews the empirical patterns and discusses the major theoretical explanations behind these patterns, focusing on K-16 education within the U.S. Additionally, some of the limitations of prior research are discussed. In closing, the authors also outline three key areas where more empirical sociological research is needed, and highlight recent research that provides compelling examples of where the field of sociology of education should be headed in order to better understand and disrupt educational inequality.
... Реконструкција родних улога преко система васпитања и образовања најдаље је одмакла у САД. Кристина Сомерс у својој књизи Рат против дечака (Sommers, 2001) наводи праксу кажњавања дечака по америчким обдаништима због играња "жандара и лопова", како се не би развијала «мушка агресивност». Дечацима се чак брани и да трче и скачу за време одмора, да се код њих случајно не би створио дух "милитаризма". ...
... Јер, "злочин који траје неколико миленијума не може се зауставити ни брзо ни лако" (Мићуновић, 2005: 588). на игралишту" (gendered terrorism on the playground) и кажњавају за "сексуално узнемиравање" (sexual harassment) ако изазивачки пољубе другарицу у образ или је у игри оборе на земљу (Sommers, 1994: 46;2001). ...
In this work, author critically reflects the usual matrix of explanation and recommendations of feminist theorists and sociologists that "internalization of woman's marginality, her social defining of inferiority is achieved by learning of sexual role", as well as the idea that this requires the complete change of system of values in private and public realm. Reconstruction of gender roles through government's mechanism, system of upbringing and education, is not the idea from this region yet composing part of opinion of political and social elite of the countries which are at the core of the world system. The conception that "gender roles" are typical cultural (social) construction producing desirable behavior is so widespread that examples of bizarre "gender liberation" of children emerged. Social engineering is in itself difficult and unpredictable enterprise. Yet gender engineering - a mission which new elite tasked itself first time in the history - is a work with more predictable end.
... Limited educational research has directly linked whiteness to masculinity in studies of white-identified males. Rather, many educational studies centre the experiences of white males as a default group, while highlighting gendered issues (Hoff Sommers 2013;Reichert 2019;Pollack 1999). In these and other works, the focus on whiteness within the intersections of boyhood, masculinity, and schools is made secondary to considerations of boys' social and emotional learning and development (Pollack 2006;Reichert and Hawley 2014), norms of masculinity through a developmental lens (Chu 2014;Kindlon and Thompson 2000), or controversial debates about the existence of a 'boy crisis' or the 'feminization' of schools (Hoff Sommers 2013;Weaver-Hightower 2003). ...
... Rather, many educational studies centre the experiences of white males as a default group, while highlighting gendered issues (Hoff Sommers 2013;Reichert 2019;Pollack 1999). In these and other works, the focus on whiteness within the intersections of boyhood, masculinity, and schools is made secondary to considerations of boys' social and emotional learning and development (Pollack 2006;Reichert and Hawley 2014), norms of masculinity through a developmental lens (Chu 2014;Kindlon and Thompson 2000), or controversial debates about the existence of a 'boy crisis' or the 'feminization' of schools (Hoff Sommers 2013;Weaver-Hightower 2003). ...
As U.S. elite independent schools become more racially inclusive, white students may perceive a shift in their social position. Using qualitative data from school climate surveys at 10 such schools, 2014-2018, we explore how white adolescent boys experience these shifts emotionally. We find that a subset of particularly vocal white boys express key characteristics of white fragility and colorblind racism both in the negative feelings they report and the frames they use to explain race relations in their social worlds. Other boys, in contrast, show signs of a develop- ing critical consciousness around race and racism in school. The findings underscore adolescence as a critical period for intervention on the developing perspectives and emotions of white boys. We conclude with a discussion of the necessity of a closer examination of how independent schools reckon with structures of whiteness in their culture as they attempt to engage in diversity and equity efforts.
... Nú, taepum hundrað árum síðar, hafa rannsóknir staðfest margt af því sem fram kom í skýrslu Hadow og á síðustu rúmum tuttugu árum hefur athygli beinst í meiri maeli að vanda drengja. Fjöldi greina hefur verið skrifaður um þessi mál og nokkrar baekur vakið athygli og sumar verið umdeildar (sjá til daemis Kindlon og Thompson, 2000;Palmer, 2009;Sax, 2016;Sommers, 2001). Þess vegna er mikilvaegt nú, ekki síður en fyrir hundrað árum, að skilja kynjamuninn svo að haegt sé að leyfa hverjum einstaklingi að njóta sín án þess að setja sama stimpil á alla drengi og annan á allar stúlkur. ...
... In recent decades, the apparent educational underperformance of boys in the Western world has received increased attention. Several books, some of which are controversial, have been written on this topic (such as Kindlon & Thompson, 2000;Palmer, 2009;Sax, 2016;Sommers, 2001). This paper surveys research on gender imbalance in education, which covers the effect of boys having lower non-cognitive skills; boys having a different set of values and attitudes and not valuing educational performance as much as girls; the importance of family background in shaping boys' attitudes towards education; and teachers viewing boys as being lazier and girls more conscientious. ...
Þessi grein lýsir stöðu nemenda eftir kyni innan íslenska menntakerfisins og frammistaða kynjanna er borin saman. Spurt er hvort markverður munur sé á frammistöðu drengja og stúlkna. Í ljós kemur að í grunnskóla standa stúlkur drengjum að meðaltali framar á samræmdum prófum í íslensku og drengir eru í miklum meirihluta þeirra tíu prósenta sem standa sig illa. Kynjamunurinn er mikill í alþjóðlegum samanburði. Í framhaldsskólum er brottfall drengja um 50% meira en stúlkna, bæði í bóknámi og starfsnámi, en endurkoma beggja kynja er sem betur fer talsverð. Stúlkur eru í meirihluta meðal stúdenta og um 2/3 þeirra sem ljúka háskólanámi. Þær eru í miklum meirihluta á sviði hugvísinda, heilbrigðisvísinda og á flestum sviðum félagsvísinda. Drengir eru í meirihluta í greinum verkfræði, stærðfræði og eðlisfræði, sagnfræði og heimspeki. Konur eru að meðaltali með hærri einkunn á fyrsta ári í Háskóla Íslands, sem skýrist einkum af lægri brottfallstíðni.
... Here, it is important to note that the literature on comparisons of single sex and mixed schools disproportionately focuses on the impact on girls. Consequences of single sex schooling for boys and the development of masculinity have not been a focus of a vast majority of studies (until the boys' underachievement discourse in the West by Sommers, 2000;Tyre, 2008, and others). Feminist studies need to study single sex schools not only in relation to how they contribute to strengthening gender stereotypes but also to how they construct the notion of hegemonic masculinity as universal and absolute, pressurising boys to confirm without exception (Cohen, 2009). ...
... Apart from being a driving force of the narrative, a "good" or "right" boy character is indicative of societal norms associated with masculinity in a particular culture. Recent depreciation of masculinity in American culture cited by many public commentators [Hoff, 2000;Morgan, 2006] is blamed on the past "wrongs" of boys' upbringing [Greig, 2012;Morris, 2012]. The article seeks to investigate into didactical methods employed by Richard Jeffries and Thomas Bailey Aldrich in their adventure stories about the boys. ...
The collection of articles The Synergy of Languages and Cultures: Interdisciplinary Studies is a peer-reviewed scholarly publication. The collection includes papers from Russia, Сhina, Kazakhstan, France, and Japan. The collection reflects the position of modern linguists on the development of traditional problems of language and cross-cultural communication, the role of translation in the context of globalization, extensive information exchange, and the interaction of languages and cultures. The collection may also attract the attention of researchers in intercultural communication, language methodology, particularly the methods of teaching foreign languages for special purposes, and of a wider audience interested in modern trends in these areas.
... This study highlights that feminist men perceive feminism as being tied to men's sexual desire, communication, and their long-term relationships in various ways, countering notions that feminism is "confusing" men or dampening their or relational sexuality (e.g., Carrino et al., 2022;Schmitt, 2001;Sommers, 2001). Indeed, although feminism may lead to some tension between feminist principles and sexual desires, it appears to facilitate a more active communication with relationship partners among feminist men in our sample, who perceive this ambivalence as an opportunity for education and reflection on their sexual desire. ...
Feminist considerations have influenced how women and men view sex, affecting not only women's perspectives but also men’s feelings about sexual desire with regard to gender equity. This might be especially the case among men who self-identify as feminist. However, how men should manage their sexual desire or communicate about it within relationships with women is not always clear in this evolving social climate. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the successes and/or struggles feminist heterosexual men experience while navigating their desires alongside feminist considerations. To explore this, we recruited feminist-identified heterosexual men in long-term relationships. We asked participants (N = 30) a series of questions regarding their sexual desire, considering the context of their long-term relationships and evolving gender norms, during a one-on-one interview via Zoom. Using thematic analysis, we identified 11 themes from the interview data. We found that, though the feminist men in this study were all aware of negative societal perceptions of heterosexual men’s sexual desire, most men in this study did not feel conflicts between their feminist principles and their own sexual desires. This is because they reported already following feminist principles; those who felt ambivalent navigated this by communicating with their partners. Findings demonstrate the usefulness and positive impact men report feminism having on them, their sexuality, and their long-term relationships, by allowing them to better engage with their sexuality and partners.
... The personality-related results are interesting, as gender differences in behavioral tendencies, and schools favoring girl-typical behavioral tendencies have in the popular lit-erature been cited as a potential cause of the academic gender gap (Sommers, 2000;Tyre, 2008). Policymakers and gender researchers have criticized such accounts on empirical and theoretical basis (King, 2000;Morris, 2011). ...
Women and girls consistently outperform men and boys in educational outcomes. A large body of qualitative work suggests that boys’ difficulties in integrating peer acceptance with being studious may explain this gender gap. Gender differences in personality have also been suggested as an explanation. We investigated whether empirically constructed “male-typicality” in personal values, personality traits, and cognitive performance profiles is related to poorer school performance. In a sample of Finnish 15-year-olds, three male-typicality variables were formed empirically via supervised machine learning techniques. These variables were used to predict 9th grade GPA derived from school records. “Male-typicality” based on personal values and cognitive skills was related to lower GPA, but male-typicality in personality traits was unrelated to GPA. The results tentatively suggest that a male-typical value profile may be problematic for academic effort. The results also suggest that a “girl-typical” cognitive skill profile emphasizing verbal skills may provide students with a small overall educational advantage.
... Als war against boys, als Krieg gegen die Jungen. 56 ...
It is about the adverse effects modernity has on the plight for male initiation, especially under socialist modernism, but also under a generalized male-scepticism in gender-mainstreamed Western societies.
... Not that misogyny and misandry are moral equivalents, historically or anthropologically, because they are not (Gilmore, 2001). None the less, recently several malepositive portraits have begun to challenge the prevailing feminist culture, often women (Sommers, 1995(Sommers, , 2000Paglia, 1994;Moran, 2011) and also some men (Farrell, 1993;Mansfield, 2006;Newell, 2000). Gender relations are perhaps improving, or perhaps polarizing, especially in the United States, and the pendulum may be beginning to swing to egalitarianism and humanism, even in India, reportedly the worst country in the world for women. ...
... Nonetheless, when asked about critical responses to the Guidelines, he commented that the critics "have nothing better to do." (This dismissive 8 response was similar to that of one of the Implicit Association Test developer's regarding constructive critics of the test; Singal, 2017). These critical responses focused on how the Guidelines highlighted some of boys' and men's needs but simultaneously attributed them as holders of privilege despite evidence to the contrary: their falling behind in education (Fortin, Oreopoulos, & Phipps, 2015;Gurian, 2017); educational models, resources, and policies favoring girls and women (Hoff Sommers, 2000); and open discrimination against men such as in the case of Cornell and Tulane Universities (see Reynolds, 2019 for original sources). ...
Psychologists are politically homogenous to a substantially higher degree than the general population. Moreover, professional psychological organizations, namely, the American Psychological Association (APA), also promote and adopt distinctly partisan research, policy positions, and activist efforts. In this chapter, an analysis of the APA’s press releases since 2000 shows a pervasive left-wing bias. In addition to other threats to the credibility of professional psychology’s reputation (e.g., replication crisis), political and ideological bias is a current and underappreciated threat that requires attention. We discuss ways to improve the quality of psychologists’ work as well as public opinion of the credibility of the profession. These include applying research methods to enhance scientific integrity; expanding the definition of diversity; improving psychology curriculum through integration of material from other disciplines; recognizing and promoting varied moral, ideological, and political viewpoints; and prioritizing scientific inquiry over activism.
... Boys on average perform worse on standardized reading tests, achieve lower grades, and are more likely to drop out of school prematurely than girls [28][29][30]. In particular, boys' poorer performance in reading, which has been evident for nearly 50 years [31][32][33][34][35][36], has led to discussions about whether schools may not be appropriately designed for boys [37]. Although the achievement gaps between girls and boys have narrowed over the decades in some countries, PISA data indicate that gender gaps in reading are larger and more persistent than those in mathematics [7,38]. ...
Students may be members of multiple disadvantaged groups whose negative effects may reinforce each other (intersectionality). In two studies dealing with elementary students' literacy skills, we examine one negative reinforcing effect and one dampening effect of intersectionality. In Study 1, we tested the negative social resonance effect of intersectional disadvantage, which means that disadvantages in achievement of intersecting disadvantaged groups would be stronger in social judgments of achievement than in objective measurement. This assumption was confirmed with a sample of 1926 German fourth-grade students. A MANOVA showed that the disadvantages in SES, migration background, and gender were cumulative. A path analysis revealed that the negative effects were larger in teachers' performance assessments than in objective test performance in literacy. In Study 2, the negative social resonance effect of intersectional disadvantage was replicated with a sample of 777 students from Grades 4 and 5 in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, a dampening effect of learning capital was found. This effect was comparatively larger than the negative social resonance effect of intersectional disadvantage.
... Scholars who have studied non-western societies such as De Waal (2002) have reiterated that the term youth is a social construct, and its definition should consider several factors like space, society and time. This view is also supported by authors such as Sommers (2001) who postulate that youth is socially constructed and hence its definition differs from one society to the other. They argue that in ancient African societies, adulthood was earned through the amassing of wealth, and all those who could not attain this remained in perpetual childhood despite their age. ...
This study seeks to investigate the impact of youth empowerment programmes on the peace process in Zimbabwe. Demographers have revealed that the youth population in Sub-Saharan Africa is growing to become what is termed the youth bulge. This demographic phenomenon combined with elusive formal wage employment in many African countries has often resulted in youth becoming a de-stabilising force. As a solution to youth unemployment and vulnerability, Zimbabwe adopted youth development and empowerment programmes. The efforts have, however, suffered from a myriad of challenges including lack of political will, political interference and marginalisation of the youth in decision making. This is an empirical mixed-methods study that relied on primary and secondary data that was gathered through quantitative and qualitative means. The study presents comprehensive perspectives on how youth empowerment can be a mitigating measure against youth propensity to violence. The study argues that without proper and genuine youth development and empowerment, peace will continue to be elusive in Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa.
... Therefore, if the family and school environment moderate genetic and environmental influences, this moderation could be more pronounced among boys than girls. Providing insight into this is of interest to both researchers and policymakers in light of the reversal of the gender gap in education (Buchmann and DiPrete, 2006) and the emergence of a public discourse dictating that boys suffer from a "feminine" culture in primary schools (Epstein et al., 1998;Sommers, 2000). ...
We investigate the role of gender, family SES, school SES, and their intersection in educational achievement using a twin design. Drawing on theories of gene-environment interaction, we test whether high-SES environments compensate genetic risks or enhance genetic potential, and its dependency on gender. Using data on 37,000 Danish twin and sibling pairs from population-wide administrative registers, we report three main findings. First, for family SES, but not for school SES, we find that genetic influences play a slightly smaller role in high-SES environments. Second, this relationship is moderated by child gender: in high-SES families, the genetic influence is considerably lower for boys than for girls. Third, the moderating effect of family SES for boys is almost entirely driven by children attending low-SES schools. Our findings thus point to significant heterogeneity in gene-environment interactions, highlighting the importance of considering the multiplicity of social contexts.
... Across continents, boys are less engaged at school affectively, behaviorally and cognitively (Lam et al., 2012). Boys are also more likely to have poorer conduct, drop out, and be expelled from school (Sommers, 2000;Tire, 2008), gaps that enlarge with age (Tire, 2008). ...
Despite findings of female advantages at school, men still are higher achieving in the workplace. Only a small amount of research has simultaneously investigated stereotypes of these different domains. We investigated whether stereotypes about academic female superiority and paradoxical stereotypes about workplace male superiority coexist. Participants were 1144 Grades 1–6 students (Mage = 9.66) from Hong Kong. They completed measures of academic gender stereotypes and meta-stereotypes, career gender stereotypes, career-related motivation for school excellence, and school engagement. Teachers provided school exam scores. We examined (1) gender and age differences, (2) the relationship between the stereotypes, and (3) the moderating role of these stereotypes in gender differences in school engagement, exam scores, and career-related motivation. Both boys and girls perceived girls as better students but a belief in female superiority did not translate to the career domain. Although both boys and girls beginning primary school believed their gender was superior in both domains, those at the end of primary school believed that girls do better at school while men are more successful at work. Also, at the end of primary school, these two stereotypes were more discordant on the individual level, i.e., the tendency for children who believed that girls perform better at school to also believe that women perform better at work was weaker in older children. Academic gender stereotypes moderated gender differences in school engagement and exam scores. Understanding why children hold discordant beliefs about success in different arenas and combating both academic and career stereotypes early may help improve gender equality for both genders.
... Gender differences in educational careers seem to emerge when factors other than cognitive learner characteristics are involved. Sommers (2001) mentioned that females pay more attention in class, collaborate with others, organize and keep track of their homework, and seek help from others. Males, on the other hand, often have discipline problems and are more likely to attend special teaching. ...
This research aimed to gather data on the perceived
effects of modular distance learning on students. The following
research objectives informed this research: 1) to determine the
perceived effects of modular distance learning on the students and
2) to determine the significant difference in the perceived effects
of modular distance learning on grades 4,5 and 6 students. This
quantitative study employed a descriptive survey to determine
and identify the perceived effects of modular distance learning on
grades 4,5 and 6 students. The research instrument used in this
study is a survey questionnaire, which is used to acquire the
necessary data. Based on the result, the study revealed that
students agreed on using modular distance learning as a teaching
method. They agreed most with the statements and the benefits of
this approach. The study also revealed no significant difference in
the perceived effects of modular distance learning on students
when categorized according to gender. This means that students
had the same perceptions when categorized according to gender.
However, the study also revealed a significant difference in the
perceived effects of modular distance learning on the students
when categorized according to their grade level. It means that
students had a different perception when they were grouped
according to their grade level. Therefore, researchers concluded
that in terms of gender, modular distance learning was not
affected by their perception of the modular approach. At the same
time, the perception of the students had a difference in terms of
their grade level. This study implies that this modular distance
learning approach helps students improve their perception of
modules. Therefore, a modular approach must be continued in
face-to-face instruction even if the pandemic vanishes.
Researchers may recommend to the faculty/teachers in Aumbay
Elementary School to use modules so students can study in
advance; teachers/faculty might monitor their student's progress
and be more flexible and even-minded in any situation to provide
and help the students. Moreover, Schools may provide guidelines
regarding the implementation of limited face-to-face and modular
distance learning so that students can learn in different
approaches; parents should also give attention to their children
and support them in such activities. Furthermore, future
researchers may incorporate other variables when they conduct a
study related to our research.
... There has been criticism of Gilligan's work and much of it has come from Sommers (2001). She says that Gilligan has failed to produce the data for her research. ...
... The concept is simple -a boy hardly finds a male teacher as a role model (Carrington and McPhee, 2008;Moreau, 2011). Despite being an important social issue, boys' underachievement, while not all boys are underperforming, is often ignored by the researchers, media, and government institutions (Williams, 2002;Sommers, 2000;Martino, 2008). Based on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2000 report it is evident that boys with poor socio-economic background underperform girls in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries (OECD, 2004;Brozo, 2005). ...
This paper aims to analyse gender inequality in schooling, taking the effects of parental education, income, and household structure, using a nationally representative sample from Thailand. The results show that males underperform females in schooling, even though the contributions of parental education, income, and household structure towards males are higher than that of their counterparts. More specifically, males attain almost one year less of schooling than females. The findings of this paper recommend policies to reduce gender inequality and to improve overall human capital in Thailand by promoting boys' schooling through for instance dedicated stipend programs for boys.
... Assim, uma vez enraizadas nas universidades, elas usufruirão do lugar social 10 da academia, portanto, da legitimidade conferida pela ciência, para promover um vasto revisionismo do feminismo através da negação de suas bases teóricas e práticas, a exemplo da negação do estupro (rape denialism) e da negação das desigualdades econômicas, defendendo abertamente que as mulheres já não precisam mais do feminismo, pois já teriam alcançado plenas condições de igualdade com os homens através do amplo acesso ao mercado de escolarização, graduação e pós-graduação, bem como ao mercado de trabalho (PAGLIA, 1990;SOMMERS, 1994SOMMERS, , 2000. Quando adotamos a expressão "lugar social", estamos nos apropriando de Certeau e assim entendendo que a escrita como produção acadêmica "se articula com um lugar de produção socioeconômico, político e cultural. ...
Este artigo analisa o surgimento das expressões “ideologia de gênero” e “feminismo de gênero” concebidas pela filósofa estadunidense Christina Hoff Sommers, que sistematizou uma variedade de ataques contra diferentes correntes do feminismo em voga nos Estados Unidos. O pensamento de Sommers é estratégico para compreender o processo de articulação e de derrogação do gênero como ideologia, adotado em círculos conservadores e liberais.
... For language the picture is different as girls are always better than boys in both types of tests. Moreover, the standard deviation values seem to confirm what the education experts call as the spread phenomenon, i.e. the scores on both teachers' assessment and standardized test are in most cases more spread out for boys than for girls (Sommers 2013;Machin and Pekkarinen 2008). The only exception is for the blind test in math primary school, where boys and girls show the same standard deviation values. ...
We study if the Italian school system suffers from gender bias when judging students. To this aim, we use a differences-in-differences approach that compares the teachers' assessments and the standardized test scores that the students receive during the school year. We have census data for all Italian fifth and sixth graders in two different subjects, math and language, that include a rich set of additional controls. Our evidence reveals that, since primary school, boys are graded less favourably than girls in both math and language. This result is also confirmed for middle school students (sixth graders), and it holds even when (a) we separate the analysis between the most and least developed Italian regions, (b) we control for possible gender-specific attitude towards cheating and teachers' manipulation and (c) we introduce class and school fixed effects in the models. Comparing the results obtained across different levels of schooling and subjects, we cannot clearly identify the role of specific mechanisms in determining the gender bias. Overall the analysis suggests further study on the role of teachers' characteristics.
... A number of researchers report different factors regarding the argument about females' successes in higher education in 58 developing countries (Einarsson & Granström, 2002;Irving & Hudley, 2005;Jacob, 2002). Sommers (2013) asserts that favoritism and praise is the main factor of female outperformance and male under performance in higher education of developing countries. ...
The main purpose of this research was to examine gender differences in academic performance in higher education in Punjab. The main focus was to unpack the reasons for female students' outperformance and male students' underperformance in higher education in Pakistan. In this study, I used a quantitative approach to examine gender reversal change at tertiary level education at the University of Punjab. I employed content analysis techniques on the examination result books of the above-mentioned university from 2006-2015 and analyzed female and male students' top three positions at master level examinations taken as indicators of outperformance. For primary data, the study sample consisted of 253 university teachers teaching in the university (the country’s oldest and largest Public Sector University) in Pakistan using a proportionate random sampling technique. The data was collected by using a well-structured questionnaire. The analysis was carried out with the help of AMOS, Statistica, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Based on the findings of the analysis of result books of ten years, I concluded that there was a vivid trend of young females’ outdoing males in education at the tertiary level. Moreover, the results of primary data revealed multiple factors of gender reversal change in terms of female-outperform and male-underperformance at the tertiary level such as familial, educational, motivational, and sociocultural domains. Based on study findings, I recommended that counseling services should be provided in educational institutions for students coming from rural areas (mostly males) and families along with educational institutions should provide equal learning environment and opportunities to female and male students with the changing landscapes of the society.
... Boys of color and other marginalized backgrounds can experience even greater discrepancies with regard to behavioral and academic performance due to inherent discrimination and racism, teacher bias, and economic disadvantage and lack of supports (Young et al., 2019). While some people are quick to identify classrooms as unfriendly to boys' inherent "boyness," (e.g., Sommers, 2000), this position is confounded, in part, by the Guy Code's devaluing of school and education as unmasculine (Connell, 2000;Frosh et al., 2002). ...
Throughout the United States and around the world, boys are socialized to be men through a rigid set of prescriptive and proscriptive masculinity rules called the Guy Code. While not all boys adhere to the teachings of the Guy Code, such as be powerful and tough, hide vulnerable emotions, and be a player, they all are exposed through dominant masculine gender socialization processes that start early in childhood and continue through adolescence and beyond. In addition to providing an update on the gender socialization of boys, this article briefly unpacks biological and more essentializing theories of sex differences out of which the primary theories of boys’ gender socialization have grown. Additional focus is placed on exploring community and culturally-based factors and the mechanisms through which boys are socialized into the Guy Code, as they start to develop a masculine sense of self as early as 2 and 3-years-old. The primary mechanisms include community-based gender teachings delivered to boys in the home environment and at school, along with more systemic popular culture and media-based representations of “manhood.” While understanding the social phenomena of gender socialization processes is important, it is essential to also consider related well-being consequences for boys regarding mental and relational health and school functioning. Lastly, translational implications and recommendations will be put forward with the goal of supporting all boys to optimize their own happiness, well-being, and self-expression. When discussing and exploring gender, it is easy to overgeneralize and stereotype. As is the case with all socially-delineated groups, boys possess a breadth and depth of diversity. Thus, while focus will be placed on the dominant masculinity messages and teachings through which society strives to indoctrinate all boys, it is important to note that many boys can and do resist society's blueprint for manhood.
... The first edition contained the subtitle "A feminine approach to ethics and moral education". 4 Other scholars like Nails (1983) andSommers (2001) have argued that the proclivity to be guided by a caring ideal is not gender-specific asGilligan (1982)'s study had claimed to be.Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved. ...
The broad success of the 2018–2019 #RedforEd (“Red for Education”) movement in achieving more equitable outcomes for not only teachers but also other constituents in the community has generated interest in the role of teacher strikes in defending the common good. My article contributes to this conversation by interpreting the demands made by teachers and paraprofessionals and school-related personnel (PSRPs) in the 2019 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) strike through an ethics of care. Enlisting the notions of caring-for, completion, and competence from care ethics, this analysis elucidates the strike demands–namely, smaller class sizes, more bilingual education teachers and special education teachers, and adequate staffing of PSRPs providing wraparound services for high-needs students–as aiming at securing conditions for CPS faculty to provide better care for their students. This article also brings to light the varied and complex requirements placed on CPS faculty in their caring work in schools and as such, proposes an educator’s ethical commitment to care for students as one plausible reason for some educators to leave the classroom for the picket line. I suggest, further, that educators, by striking, are enacting a political form of caring termed caring-with alongside fellow citizens and advocating collective responsibility in caring for all persons as care receivers and care givers. The 2019 CPS strike can therefore be seen as a response not only to disinvestment in public schools and teachers, but to the broader crisis of care deficit and democratic deficit in society.
... LAS FEMINISTAS RADICALES SUELEN AFIRMAR dogmáticamente, en contra de la evidencia científica, que hombres y mujeres son esencialmente iguales, que no hay apenas diferencias entre ellos (Fine, 2017;Saini, 2017), que es solamente o principalmente la socialización la que genera las diferencias entre los sexos y que los roles sexuales o de género son algo exclusivamente cultural y arbitrario, producto del adoctrinamiento machista y patriarcal, y sin ninguna relación con la naturaleza o la biología (Butler, 1990). Si aceptan los efectos de la biología insisten en que lo que hay que hacer es cancelarlos o corregirlos para alcanzar la igualdad de resultados y la paridad en todos los ámbitos sociales mediante el intervencionismo coactivo de la acción política, sin evidencias de que sus métodos funcionen en la realidad para conseguir lo que dicen querer, ignorando las evidencias en su contra y los daños causados (McGuire, 2017;Sommers, 2000), y sin respetar la libertad, la voluntad y los intereses de los individuos afectados. Afirman que es mejor no estudiar las diferencias entre hombres y mujeres porque eso podría servir para justificar la desigualdad y la discriminación contra la mujer: no entienden que conocer y explicar no equivale a justificar, y prefieren que no se conozcan ciertas realidades para poder negarlas más cómodamente. ...
¿Están los roles adoptados por mujeres y hombres determinados por su biología? ¿Cobran las mujeres menos que los hombres por realizar el mismo trabajo? ¿Tienen las mujeres las mismas posibilidades de llegar a puestos de alto mando que los hombres? ¿Deben poder las mujeres ofrecer sus servicios sexuales a cambio de una contraprestación económica? ¿Es el machismo la causa principal de la violencia en pareja? ¿Qué estrategias retóricas utiliza el feminismo dominante para expandir su mensaje? Este libro analiza y aclara algunos de los principales postulados del feminismo dominante en la actualidad en Estados Unidos y Europa Occidental. Y plantea una nueva narrativa que apuesta por el empoderamiento, la igualdad ante la ley y la protección de la libertad individual, ante el asedio a la presunción de inocencia y la libertad de expresión.
... La diversidad de factores se debe también a que las posibles causas son distintas para diferentes grupos. Los factores de indisciplina y de reprobación afectan más a los hombres que a las mujeres, un fenómeno que ocurre en todos los niveles educativos en prácticamente todo el mundo (Hoff Sommers, 2015). En consecuencia, los hombres suelen abandonar con más frecuencia. ...
A pesar de una década de políticas públicas, el abandono escolar en la educación media superior continúa siendo un problema. La pregunta crucial es cuales son las principales razones de abandono. Las polí-ticas públicas asumen que las razones son de carácter económico o académico. Sin embargo, este estudio sobre el abandono en el estado de Oaxaca, México, encuentra que la principal motivación no es académica. Según muchos jóvenes, les gusta salir con amigos y parejas y tener una vida social, pero este aspecto de la cultura juvenil resulta a menudo incompatible con la organización escolar, causando reprobación y abandono.
Artikkeli tarkastelee yhdysvaltalaisen mediajärjestö PragerU:n videotuotantoa osana konservatiivista kulttuurisotateollisuutta antifeminismin näkökulmasta. PragerU-brändin takana toimii vuonna 2009 perustettu poliittinen järjestö Prager University Foundation, joka nimestään huolimatta ei ole akkreditoitu yliopisto tai tunnistettu koulutuksellinen toimija.Järjestö tuottaa Youtubeen ja omalle verkkosivulleen ensisijaisesti viiden minuutin pituisia, konservatiivisesta maailmankuvasta ammentavia katsauksia Yhdysvaltojen politiikkaan, kulttuuriin ja historiaan. Se kuvailee itseään vastavallankumouksellisena toimijana osana laajempaa, liberalismia vastaan käytyä kulttuurisotaa.PragerU:n tapausesimerkin kautta artikkeli hahmottaa kulttuurisotia ensisijaisesti tuotettuna ilmiönä, jonka takana toimii yhdysvaltalaisten oikeistolaisten poliittisten järjestöjen, ajatushautomoiden ja mediatoimijoiden muodostama teollisuushaara. Artikkeli kysyy, miten PragerU:n videoissa käsitellään feminismiä antagonistisesta näkökulmasta ja miten järjestön tuotanto kytkee feminismiä ja käsityksiä sukupuolesta laajempiin kulttuurisotakehyksiin. Se hahmottaa, miten videoissa rakennetaan ideologista kuvaa todellisuudesta retoriikan, kontekstin ja audiovisuaalisen esittämisen yhteisvaikutuksessa.Avainsanat: kulttuurisotateollisuus, kulttuurisodat, feminismi, antifeminismi, konservatismi, YoutubeBuilding the Ideological Fortress: PragerU Videos as Antifeminist Culture War IndustryThis article examines the video productions of a US media organization PragerU as part of a conservative culture war industry, from the perspective of antifeminism. Behind the PragerU brand is the organization Prager University Foundation, founded in 2009, which despite its name is not an accredited university or a recognized educational operator.PragerU mainly publishes 5-minute-long videos on Youtube and their own webpage, which center on various topics of US politics, culture, and history from a conservative worldview. It describes itself as a counterrevolutionary organization as part of a larger culture war against liberalism.Through the case example of PragerU, the article explicates the culture wars as an intentionally produced phenomenon backed by an industry of right-wing political organizations, think tanks, and media entities. The article questions how PragerU videos discuss feminism from an antagonistic point of view and how they connect feminism and issues of gender mode widely to larger culture war frames. It traces how the videos build ideological worldviews of reality in the intersection of rhetorics, context, and audiovisual presentation.Keywords: culture war industry, culture wars, feminism, antifeminism, conservatism, YouTube
Norms are inherently social entities. The link between collectively shared social norms and individual well-being is an important juncture for social scientists as well as for applied social researchers. In this regard it is oftentimes contended that in a modern society the internalized norms of masculinity tend to form behavioral models that frequently contribute to young men’s forming an apathetic attitude toward their social responsibility, as well as to dissociation and indecision, and can worsen their emotional states and, eventually, lead to poorer well-being. The goals of the present research were two-fold and involved exploring the contents of the cultural norms of masculinity and evaluating their effect on mental well-being of young college males (based on a sample from National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (N = 215)). Grounded in the operationalization of Pearson & Marr conceptual framework, a formalized instrument was designed to measure the degree of consensuality of different norms of masculinity and to investigate their relationships with the mental well-being of the study participants. The study conducted in Kyiv in Spring 2024 collected self-reported cognitive data by means of an online form. The data analysis employed techniques of multidimensional analysis operating on multi-item scales. The findings show that a more pronounced expression of the normative traits that are marked as masculine serves as a predictor of higher mental well-being levels, more salient feeling of social belonging, more positive outlook on life and perceiving life events in a more constructive way. Granted that individual correspondence to sociocultural normativity in the domain of masculinity also positively affected psychological condition and the experience of social belonging of male participants, improving their well-being, it can be surmised that the destructive criticism of masculinity per se, radical reshaping of agreed-upon norms regulating masculinity and exposing the young men to the mixed signals of “what a man should be” can have harmful consequences for social adaptation and psychological well-being of male students. On the other hand, it is important to contextualize the criticism of masculinity within collectively meaningful axiological networks of a society and their contingencies. Specifically, congruence with socially desirable repertoires can confer a greater sense of responsibility, understanding one’s role in the group and developing one’s decision-making skills.
Worldwide women constitute the majority of the teaching force, but men are more likely to achieve headship. Internationally a number of scholars working within sociology and the sociology of education have focused on the continued influence of gender on the shaping of identity and choices in relation to leadership, work and home. But in Greece the under-representation of women in educational leadership has received limited attention. Why are there so few women in educational leadership? How are leadership and gender constructed by men and women head teachers and teachers? Are the perceptions of men and women different and gendered? What is the future for women in leadership in Greece?
Papanastasiou uses qualitative data from interviews with men and women head teachers and teachers in Greece and analyzes them using a feminist social constructionist framework to provide some answers to these key questions. In doing so, the book sheds light on social, cultural and political factors that influence women’s potential advancement in educational leadership.
This paper has been designed to examine gender disparity in academic performance in Pakistani higher education through the lens of Bourdieu's cultural capital theory. It reveals that female students outperform and male students underperform at all levels generally and higher education particularly. In this study, 253 university teachers participated from the University of the Punjab, Pakistan based on the classified random sampling technique. A cross-sectional survey has been conducted and a structured questionnaire has been constructed to measure the response of the university teachers. Pilot testing has also been done to ensure the reliability of the instrument. The rapport development method has been opted to introduce the study and researcher. Further, statistical analysis has been done to draw results and conclusions. The study findings have been presented and discussed based on the basic characteristics of the sample, descriptive statistics, and non-parametric Chi-square statistical test. The results indicate that there are multiple factors contributing to gender disparity in academic performance. The overall conclusion that I reached from the analysis of primary data is that there is a gender disparity in academic performance in Pakistani higher education. These findings of the study have also been aligned with Bourdieu's cultural capital theory.
For many young women, feminism is no longer a salient issue. Indeed, women, particularly young women are regularly told in the media that they are doing just fine and that the goals of gender equality have been reached. This paper examines the construction of feminism and more specifically, the backlash against feminism in talk radio. It explores the construction of gender found in the Charles Adler radio program, broadcast across Canada on Corus radio. The paper argues that the way that Alder represents the issues of women’s equality is important. It is evident that he employs a language of “backlash” to suggest that equality and rights-based discourse are anti-men and that feminist views are not supported by mainstream Canadians. In doing so, Adler endorses the moves by the current Conservative government to dismantle advocacy programs that support women’s rights.
This chapter examines moral-political bias in psychological knowledge about child sexual abuse (CSA). Before the 1980s, most professionals saw CSA as immoral but generally not harmful, absent aggravating circumstances. By the early 1980s, professional beliefs radically shifted, seeing CSA as intrinsically traumatic, often causing severe maladjustment. This shift, however, came from advocacy and politics, not systematic empiricism, and soon occasioned moral panic (e.g., daycare satanic-ritual abuse, recovered memories). The moral panic, in turn, amplified the bias in scientific understanding of CSA. Researchers began interrogating various claims, such as, were memories of CSA true or implanted. With several colleagues, I interrogated core claims concerning trauma and harm, finding them to be highly overstated. Our research was politically attacked. Subsequently, I researched the nature of pederasty (a later major target of the moral panic) and was attacked. In this chapter, I detail moral panic bias, my research, the political attacks, and my responses.
A deep look at the Book of Ruth reveals a two-dimensional model that reflects two alternative realities of gender. One perception strives to manage the world and resolve its problems. It is an orientation based on justice, rules, and individualistic logic, and even a certain degree of manipulation. The other exists within human reality and is based on concern for others, sensitivity, and mutual responsibility. Although these perceptions are obviously not necessarily representative of different genders, they are often associated as such and can be referred to as masculine and feminine, respectively. This paper demonstrates how the story of Ruth in its entirety revolves around the tension between these two perceptions, until they ultimately merge into one.
Teorizzare la mascolinità tra passato e presente. Uno sguardo al posizionamento disciplinare degli Studi Critici sulle Mascolinità e prospettive future per la pedagogia di Antonio Raimondo Di Grigoli come citare: Antonio Raimondo Di Grigoli, Teorizzare la mascolinità tra passato e presente. Uno sguardo al posizionamento disciplinare degli Studi Critici sulle Mascolinità e prospettive future per la pedagogia, in «Teorie pedagogiche e pratiche educative, Bollettino della Fondazione "Vito Fazio-Allmayer"», anno XLIX, nn. 1-2, gennaio-dicembre 2020, pp. 115-134.
‘Gender’ has standardly been deployed in the human rights discourse to designate rights violations that target women and girls. To the extent that the male experience has been considered under this rubric, the focus has generally been on minority males – particularly blacks. Seeking to supplement rather than supplant this approach, this article argues that the variables of minority ethnicity, social class, and age can be separated from gender for analytical purposes. When they are, the gendervariable can be seen as equally if not more significant to an understanding of human rights abuses in the United States and elsewhere. The article contends that the most severe and institutionalized human rights abuses in the US are overwhelmingly inflicted upon men, especially – though far from exclusively – younger, poorer, and minority men. It focuses on four key institutions: incarceration,
the death penalty, police violence, and registration for military conscription. The article concludes by deploying the concept of ‘men and minorities,’ suggesting that the phrase may be every bit as apt as ‘women and minorities,’ and that younger men may deserve acknowledgment and attention as a minority group in their own right.
Through a number of case studies, this article will conduct an analysis of the sometimes seemingly ubiquitous antifeminism, and even misogyny, in certain anglophone online spaces, and of their roots in older historical antifeminist discourses. It will also discuss how this patriarchal backlash is strategically presented by its proponents as an indicator of a crisis in contemporary masculinity, and to what extent it is part of a wider phenomenon of reaction against progressive advances, in both online and offline spaces.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you want to learn more.
The category of single men is an umbrella term including men who are never married, widowed, separated, or divorced. Research indicates that single men have more mental health issues than married men, but that divorced and separated men are at the highest risk of adverse mental health outcomes including suicide, substance use disorder, and depression. This risk is greater than that seen in divorced or separated women, implying that divorce and separation can be particularly harmful for men. This gender differential has been attributed to several factors including separation from children following a divorce, an intense decrease in social support, and a lack of services and supports for divorced or separated men. Moreover, separation and divorce are severe life events that can harm the mental health of affected children, particularly boys. Evidence suggests that boys raised in fatherless families are at risk of negative psychosocial outcomes, while single-father households may confer protection. This indicates that the absence of masculine influence in the home is harmful to offspring mental health. Trends indicate that a substantial and growing number of people are divorcing and living alone, while there has been a large growth in single-mother households. This may negatively affect community mental health.
Evidence suggests that boys have a much higher prevalence of ADHD than girls at a rate of around 3:1, with rates of ADHD rising steadily in recent decades, especially in the USA. Several risk factors for ADHD in boys have been identified including: (i) middle-childhood age; (ii) childhood maltreatment and abuse; (iii) low family income; (iv) low parental education; and (v) living with a single parent (typically a single mother). Moreover, boys with ADHD are more likely to be prescribed medication than girls with ADHD, and boys are more likely to experience adverse educational outcomes such as suspension and expulsion. This male preponderance has led some scholars to argue that ADHD is overdiagnosed in boys, with some even suggesting that ADHD is not a valid construct, and instead simply the relabelling of boisterous and spirited behaviour, especially in boys. This critique centres on the sociological concept of medicalization, with arguments suggesting that ADHD medication is used inappropriately as a form of social control. Arguments for such a medicalization of boyhood are advanced with reference to five vested interest groups: (i) an expansionist psychiatric industry; (ii) profit-driven ‘Big Pharma’; (iii) overwhelmed mothers; (iv) frustrated teachers; and (v) some affected youth.
Evidence suggests that boys are performing significantly worse than girls at all levels of education. First, boys tend to have high rates of school dropout, detention, and exclusion in primary and secondary school. Second, males tend to perform worse than females in basic literacy tests, high-school exams, and other common measures of educational attainment. Third, young men have lower rates of enrollment in tertiary education and higher rates of postsecondary dropout. Importantly, research indicates that these educational deficits can contribute toward adverse mental health outcomes such as suicide and substance abuse. Of note, the literature indicates that low educational attainment has a more severe and intense impact on the mental health of males compared with females and may contribute to high levels of loneliness and failure to launch in young men. Importantly, some scholars have questioned whether the nature and formation of the educational system is sensitive to male students, while noting that male underperformance is rarely a policy priority at any level of education. This is concerning, as education is a distal yet modifiable risk factor for men’s mental health, meaning a clear need for renewed policies, interventions, and programs to help males in their educational journey.
Men experience elevated rates of various mental health issues including suicide, substance use disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as lower rates of mental health service utilization. Moreover, men and boys are experiencing increasing difficulties in sectors such as education and employment, with increased risk of low educational attainment and failure to launch. Such difficulties are sometimes narrowly explained with reference to a singular concept – masculinity – without exercising any peripheral vision to examine social context and population-level factors. This narrow approach has tended to unduly dominate the conversation about men’s mental health, and can also verge on victim blaming the affected men. This chapter argues for change, namely, the adoption of a novel public-health inspired approach to men’s mental health, with a focus on distal and proximal social determinants. Such change would involve moving beyond a narrow one-dimensional focus on the concept of masculinity, and would instead focus on population-level factors that negatively affect men’s mental health including: (i) harmful stereotypes of men; (ii) the gender empathy gap; and (iii) male gender blindness. These three concepts are described and illuminated with reference to various examples, including male victims of intimate partner violence, and recent discussions about gender and COVID-19.
The number of single mother-households has risen steadily in the US in recent decades. This has led to an increase in advice books aimed at single mothers, particularly single mothers raising boys. These books promise to teach them how to raise ‘successful’ or ‘strong’ sons. Presenting themselves as sympathetic and supportive helpers, many of these books instead invoke guilt and fear, suggesting that single mothers are likely to damage their young sons not only emotionally but also physically. Placing the books in a context of changing societal notions of family and parenthood, as well as a supposed ‘boy crisis’, this chapter analyses the strategies employed to perpetuate the traditional notion that a woman, particularly on her own, is incapable of raising a boy to become a man.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.