UV607163 Introduction to Pastoral and Practical Theology Level H1
Essay
Outline and evaluate the reasons given by W.M. Longwood to substantiate his claim: ‘I am convinced that these attitudes, behaviours, relationships and institutions are not a result of something that is inherent in men, but are rather a response to a socialisation process that has not served either men or women well.’ Also, describe how the six men’s movements as pictured by Longwood are positioned in relation to his point.
Word Count : 1423
I
Introduction
‘Men’s violence represents one of the darkest features of masculinity’. From feminism and women’s studies, we have learned that males are prone to regard themselves as generic humans rather than gendered persons conditioned by historical and cultural processes. The tendency to view themselves as generic has often led men to assume that their experiences are universal. A mere glance at men’s situations in the American world indicates that success is equated with competitive men who dominate in economic and government leadership, as well as in the sporting and entertainment arena. ‘They show a careless disregard for the earth, control the money that funds art and culture and rule their families with an iron hand.’
Many studies reveal that in general terms Western men, American in particular, are aggressive and violent. Social science research corroborates this in such documents by Berkowitz 1992, Hong 2000, and Marshall 1993. What has also been discovered is the fact that men are not solely violent towards women and children, but towards other men as well. Such a statement is qualified by the figures which show men are far more likely to be the perpetrators of homicide, physical as ...