The Scapegoat Generation: America's War on Adolescents (Paperback)

by Mike A Males (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Violence. Drugs. Pregnancy. Suicide. Are our nation's teenagers out of control? Mike Males provides a different picture--how politicians, private interests, and the media unfairly scapegoat adolescents for America's problems. Among the myths he explodes:

Myth: Drugs, guns, gangsta rap, TV violence and "innate" youth savagery are causing crime and mayhem.

About the Author
Mike Males is a doctoral candidate in social ecology at the University of California, Irvine. He serves on the California Wellness Foundation Adolescent Health Advisory Board, and has written extensively on youth and social issues in publications such as The New York Times, The Lancet, Phi Delta Kappan and In These Times. His most recent book is "Framing Youth: Ten Myths About the Next Generation."

Product Details

• Paperback: 330 pages
• Publisher: Common Courage Press (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567510809
• ISBN-13: 978-1567510805
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #367,074 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd give this book ten stars if I could, June 11, 1999

By	"dkirtley" (Katonah, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This is possibly the most important book I've ever read. It clearly demonstrates the ways in which cynical politicians and a sensationalist media have consistently misrepresented teens and robbed them of their rights. Even my grandmother was outraged after reading this book. It should be required reading for every American. You have to read this book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here's evidence today's teens are not so bad, June 29, 1998

By A Customer

Males argues convincingly that a lot of what we think we know about "out-of-control" adolescents is just teen bashing. He examines subjects such as drug, alcohol, tobacco use; teen pregnancy, poverty, violence, mental illness, etc. He offers lots of evidence, statistics, great notes and sources, to support his thesis. A real paradigm shift! I used this book in a freshman composition class, and the students (same age as the kids Males is talking about) were amazed and excited by it. Sometimes a bit slow going, as Males has lots of charts and graphs and extensive footnotes. Well worth it. A must read for anyone who works with teenagers.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for those working with adolescents., February 4, 2002

By	Edward Cichowicz MD (San Juan, PR USA) - See all my reviews

Mike Males' books, The Scapegoat Generation, and Framing Youth, rank among the must-reads for any public health professional, community worker, or politician dealing with adolescents. Mike will help you see through all the myths and all the [stuff] that's out there regarding adolescents, much of it coming from what one would think are "unimpeachable" sources. If you're a health professional like me, wondering why all the "tried and true" strategies to reduce adolescent pregnancy, violence, drug use and smoking in your community are just not working, you need to read this book.