Beyond Bad Girls: Gender, Violence and Hype (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Katherine Irwin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this important new work, two respected criminologists challenge the characterization of the new 'bad girl' arguing that it is only a new attempt to punish girls who are not the stereotypical depiction of good. Through interviews with young women, educators and people in the criminal justice system, Beyond Bad Girls exposes the formal and informal systems of socio-cultural control imposed on girls.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (September 11, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415948274
• ISBN-13: 978-0415948272
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,659,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific, careful analysis of violence and gender, June 2, 2009

By	Sherry Hamby (Sewanee, TN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Beyond Bad Girls: Gender, Violence and Hype (Paperback)

This is one of the best books I've ever read on gender and violence and really cuts through the misinformation out there. Yes, it's feminist, but their point of view is clear and well-argued. I refer to it frequently.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another extreme feminist view, April 12, 2008

By	Sanyar (New Hampshire, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Bad Girls: Gender, Violence and Hype (Paperback)

One must definitely respect Chesney-Lind's research and academic work. She is a reknowned expert in her field and has raised some excellent points in this book. However, her views are clearly feminist to the extreme, -an identity that she apparently celebrates and wears on her sleeve as co-author. The two authors of this book have made an argument in defense of girls' innocence and value amidst our culture, that in their view is exclusively misogynistic and patriarchal, -and as such, damaging to the lives of girls. Unfortunately, this is a typical trend with some feminist views. The "all girls are victims and all males are bad" card is being played. This extreme position is based in the passionate fury of feminist anger. Blaming all males, and the entire cultural system at large, actually weakens and disempowers females because it is a form of attack, albeit intellectual literary academic aggression. Debate is valuable and can serve as the impetus for mutual value creation if approached with fairness, sanity, and HONESTY.

The authors have painted a sinister picture in their approach to this topic. A picture that does not take full accountability for females part in the co-creation of a culture that is abusive and oppressive to BOTH girls and boys. Where is the clarity and truth of the middle point between the extreme polarized views of feminism and masculinism in this book? If an argument is valid, it includes the whole picture and counterbalances its points with the facts of the entire context of the subject. What the authors have done is to demonize boys and men as a whole (yet they are hypocritically making the case against the demonization of girls) and have refused collective mutual responsibility for the culture we live in.

As far as patriarchy is concerned, in its extreme form, it is damaging to BOTH males and females. Extreme matriarchy would be the same way. What is truly needed is a collective revision of our gender roles and a living commitment to the change of equalization between the sexes. The rhetorical stone casting between males and females (even in academic work) is not helping to achieve this. The authors state that "girls are in a double-bind"; but then again, so are boys. The mandatory indoctrination of boys and girls with rigid gender roles of the past has created the ways and means for mutual wounds. Simply think about the stereotypes that are made of females and males. Are they really helpful?

Men and women must come together as equal partners in this work. This book does well in setting fires under those who are emotionally swayed to fight in the name of "female liberation." Certainly there can be some good that can come of that... but liberation must be freeing to everyone to be true! -In other words, one cannot prosper by knocking another down. This book is an attempt to knock males down and to build females up disguised as a call for sweeping systemic change. Truly, I would love to see more work by these authors portraying the whole truth and "the big picture" in a way that is NOT condemning of anyone. A work that does not have to craft a version of truth to such an extreme that it insultingly creates more social unrest and discontentment.

You would be wise to contrast this book with other literary works that offer a mutually workable solution, not just complaints and finger pointing. The amount of research presented is very impressive. I admire and respect the authors for their dilligence and sharing such a strong view in this field. Please be fair about what you do with this kind of information! This book has a place, but remember, it is a very biased and extreme view that leaves a lot of integral truth out to strengthen the authors' case. Due to the lack of fairness and ethical grounding I give this book two stars.