Engendering Violence

Myra J. Hird, Dr, School of Sociology and Social Policy, Queen's University, Belfast, UK UKBA (Western, 1985), BSW (Windsor, 1990), MSW (McGill, 1992), D.Phil. (Oxford, 1996). 1995-1996 Temporary Lecturer, Oxford University; 1996-1999 Lecturer, Auckland University; 2000-present Lecturer, Queen's University Belfast. Co-editor of Sociology for the Asking (Oxford University Press, forthcoming) as well as over twenty articles on various topics including gender, sexuality and violence.

’This book provides an accessible overview of violence perpetrated by men and women on people they know. It provides a timely synthesis and critique of key feminist and power-focused debates on violence, using illustrative examples as well as rich ethnographic data. Undergraduate students with any interest in trying to conceptualize and understand violence will find many gems in this resonant text.’ Dr George Pavlich, Professor of Sociology, University of Alberta, Canada. ’Whether a student in the social sciences, or a professional in the social services, this book is essential reading for understanding the gendered nature of violence in personal relationships across the life span.’ Dr Sue Jackson, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand 'This book, while a 2002 publication, comes at a good time as we see major theoretical shifts in gender and interpersonal violence theories. Drawing from a number of post-structural and post-modern theories, this book adds to the discourse around there being an essential masculinity. It argues that behaviour is more likely to be configured by social, political and cultural discourses, rather than biology... I found this book a good read in relation to exploring at a more complex level the issues that present in the lives of the clients every day... The target audience is clearly an academic one and in that regard it stands up well to the rigor of academic scrutiny... This book does invite us to explore further many of the cornerstones of existing conceptualisation of heterosexual interpersonal violence.' Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work

• Contents: Mapping the discourse of heterosexual interpersonal violence; Theoretical challenges to the study of heterosexual interpersonal violence; Learning the difference that gender makes; Heteronormativity and sexual coercion: adolescents practicing gender; Investing in masculinity: men who use interpersonal violence; Investing in difference: violent women and masculinity in disguise?; Engendering violence?; Bibliography; Index.