The Deepening Darkness

Carol Gilligan has been University Professor at New York University since 2002. She is also a visiting professor at the University of Cambridge affiliated with the Centre for Gender Studies and with Jesus College. She previously taught at Harvard University for more than thirty years and became Harvard's first gender studies professor in 1997. Her groundbreaking book, In a Different Voice (1982) led to critical acclaim, after which she initiated the Harvard Project on Women's Psychology and Girls' Development and co-authored or edited five books. She received a Senior Research Scholar Award from the Spencer Foundation, a Grawemeyer Award for her contributions to education, and a Heinz Award for her contributions to understanding the human condition, and was named by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Americans. Most recently, The Birth of Pleasure (2002) was described by the Times Literary Supplement as 'a thrilling new paradigm.' Her play, 'The Scarlet Letter,' was part of the 2007 WomenCenterStage festival in New York City and will be produced by The Culture Project next year. Her monologue, 'My House Is Wallpapered with Lies,' was performed as part of the June 2006 V-Day festival, 'Until the Violence Stops: NYC.' Her first novel, Kyra, was published in 2008. David A. J. Richards is Edwin D. Webb Professor of Law at New York University School of Law, where he teaches constitutional law and criminal law. He is the author of fourteen books, most recently Tragic Manhood and Democracy: Verdi's Voice and the Powers of Musical Art (2004), Disarming Manhood: The Roots of Ethical Resistance (2005), The Case for Gay Rights: From Bowers to Lawrence and Beyond (2005), and Patriarchal Religion, Sexuality, and Gender: A Critique of New Natural Law (with Nicholas Bamforth; Cambridge University Press, 2008). Two of his books were named best academic books of their years, and he was Shikes lecturer in civil liberties at the Harvard Law School in 1998.

“The Deepening Darkness leads to the light of understanding that there can be no true democracy in public life until we have democratic families and connections in private life. Gilligan and Richards have proven this link. Now it's up to us to live it.” Gloria Steinem

• Introduction and overview; Part I. Roman Patriarchy: Entering the Heart of Darkness: 1. Why Rome? Why now?; 2. Roman patriarchy and violence; 3. Virgil on the darkness visible; 4. Apuleius on conversion; 5. Augustine on conversion; Part II. Resistance Across Time and Culture: 6. Resistance: religion; 7. Resistance: psychology; 8. Resistance: the artists; 9. Resistance: politics; Part III. Democracy's Future: 10. The contemporary scene; Conclusion.