Guys and Guns Amok

Herbert Marcuse and the Crisis of Marxism

Douglas Kellner

Critical overview of the entirety of Marcuse's work and discusses his enduring importance. Kellner had extensive interviews with Marcuse and provides hitherto unknown information about his road to Marxism, his relations with Heidegger and Existentialism, his involvement with the Frankfurt School, and his reasons for appropriating Freud in the 1950s. In addition Kellner provides a novel interpretation of the genesis and structure of Marcuse's theory of one-dimensional society, of the development of his political theory, and of the role of aesthetics in his critical theory.

Media Spectacle and the Crisis of Democracy

Terrorism, War, and Election Battles

Douglas Kellner

Douglas Kellner's Media Spectacle and the Crisis of Democracy: 9/11, the War on Iraq, and Election 2004 investigates the role of the media in the momentous political events of the past four years. Beginning with the role of the media in contested election of 2000, Kellner examines how corporate media ownership and concentration, linked with a rightward shift of establishment media, have disadvantaged the Democrats and benefited George W. Bush and the Republicans. Exploring the role of media spectacle in the 9/11 attacks and subsequent Terror War in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kellner documents the centrality of media politics in advancing foreign policy agendas and militarism. Building on his analysis in Media Spectacle (Routledge 2003), Kellner demonstrates in detail how conflicting political forces ranging from Al Qaeda to the Bush administration construct media spectacles to advance their politics. Two chapters critically engage the role of the media in the buildup to the Iraq war and the media-centric nature of Bush's Iraq invasion and occupation. Final chapters delineate the role of the media in the highly contested and significant 2004 election campaign that many believe to be one of the key political struggles of the contemporary era. Criticizing Bush's unilateralism, Kellner argues for a multilateral and cosmopolitan globalization and the need for democratic media to help overcome the current crisis of democracy in the United States.

Cultural Studies, Education, and Youth

Beyond Schools

Benjamin Frymer, John Broughton, Matthew Carlin

Cultural Studies, Education, and Youth: Beyond Schools, edited by Benjamin Frymer, Matthew Carlin, and John Broughton, brings interdisciplinary lenses to the study of education beyond the classroom in order to critically attend to the increased influence of media and popular culture in the education and lives of youth. The chapters collectively advocate the importance of exploring the multiple cultural contexts where education occurs. Cultural Studies, Education, and Youth raises significant questions and offers important insights for teachers, youth, scholars, and practitioners, alike.

The Postmodern Adventure

Science Technology and Cultural Studies at the Third Millennium

Steven Best, Douglas Kellner

This compelling book explores the challenges to theory, politics, and human identity that we face on the threshold of the third millennium. It follows on the successor of Best and Kellner's two previous books, Postmodern Theory, acclaimed as the best critical introduction to the field - and The Postmodern Turn, which provides a powerful mapping of postmodern developments developments in the arts, politics, science, and theory. In The Postmodern Adventure, Best and Kellner analyze a broad array of literary, cultural, and political phenomena from fiction, film, science, and the Internet, to globalization and the rise of a transnational image culture.

The Persian Gulf TV War

Douglas Kellner

Douglas Kellner's Persian Gulf TV War attacks the myths, disinformation, and propaganda disseminated during the Gulf war. At once a work of social theory, media criticism, and political history, this book demonstrates how television served as a conduit for George Bush's war policies while silencing anti-war voices and foregoing spirited discussion of the complex issues involved. In so doing, the medium failed to assume its democratic responsibilities of adequately informing the American public and debating issues of common concern. Kellner analyzes the dominant frames through which television presented the war and focuses on the propaganda that sold the war to the public–one of the great media spectacles and public relations campaigns of the post-World War II era. In the spirit of Orwell and Marcuse, Kellner studies the language surrounding the Gulf war and the cynical politics of distortion and disinformation that shaped the mainstream media version of the war, how the Bush administration and Pentagon manipulated the media, and why a majority of the American public accepted the war as just and moral.

From 9/11 to Terror War

The Dangers of the Bush Legacy

Douglas Kellner

The book shows how September 11 provided an opportunity for the Bush administration to push through hard-right domestic and foreign policies, many of which were being contested and blocked in Congress pre-September 11. Visit our website for sample chapters!

Columbine

Dave Cullen

Ten years in the works, a masterpiece of reportage, this is the definitive account of the Columbine massacre, its aftermath, and its significance, from the acclaimed journalist who followed the story from the outset. "The tragedies keep coming. As we reel from the latest horror . . ." So begins a new epilogue, illustrating how Columbine became the template for nearly two decades of "spectacle murders." It is a false script, seized upon by a generation of new killers. In the wake of Newtown, Aurora, and Virginia Tech, the imperative to understand the crime that sparked this plague grows more urgent every year. What really happened April 20, 1999? The horror left an indelible stamp on the American psyche, but most of what we "know" is wrong. It wasn't about jocks, Goths, or the Trench Coat Mafia. Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters on scene, and spent ten years on this book-widely recognized as the definitive account. With a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen, he draws on mountains of evidence, insight from the world's leading forensic psychologists, and the killers' own words and drawings-several reproduced in a new appendix. Cullen paints raw portraits of two polar opposite killers. They contrast starkly with the flashes of resilience and redemption among the survivors. Expanded with a New Epilogue

No Easy Answers

The Truth Behind Death at Columbine

Brooks Brown, Rob Merritt

On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, two seniors at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, walked into their school and shot to death twelve students and one teacher, and wounded many others. It was the worst single act of murder at a school in U.S. history. Few people knew Dylan Klebold or Eric Harris better than Brooks Brown. Brown and Klebold were best friends in grade school, and years later, at Columbine, Brown was privy to some of Harris and Klebold's darkest fantasies and most troubling revelations. After the shootings, Brown was even accused by the police of having been in on the massacre--simply because he had been friends with the killers. Now, for the first time, Brown, with journalist Rob Merritt, gets to tell his full version of the story. He describes the warning signs that were missed or ignored, and the evidence that was kept hidden from the public after the murders. He takes on those who say that rock music or video games caused Klebold and Harris to kill their classmates and explores what it might have been that pushed these two young men, from supposedly stable families, to harbor such violent and apocalyptic dreams. Shocking as well as inspirational and insightful, No Easy Answers is an authentic wake-up call for all the psychologists, authorities, parents, and law enforcement personnel who have attempted to understand the murders at Columbine High School. As the title suggests, the book offers no easy answers, but instead presents the unvarnished facts about growing up as an alienated teenager in America today. This edition contains a new afterword that describes what the two authors have experienced and learned about Columbine since the publication of the book.

Sex and the American Teenager

Seeing through the Myths and Confronting the Issues

R. Murray Thomas

Sex and the American Teenager provides an expert's assessment of the controversies surrounding the sexual development of adolescents, and their beliefs and problems regarding such matters. Using numerous case studies, Dr. Thomas illustrates specific ways that sexual issues arise in school and the variables that impact each case, while suggesting ways parents and school officials can deal with problematic situations. Though not simply statistics-laden, Dr. Thomas's book is replete with information about teenagers who engage in sexual acts, become pregnant, are sexually abused, and contract sexually transmitted diseases. Dr. Thomas also discusses the coping methods teenagers use, and he describes the types of sex education programs in which students are most likely to participate. Dozens of case studies illustrate how problems of students' sexual behavior can differ from one incident to another depending on the teenagers' ages, family backgrounds, school settings, and the culture of the surrounding communities. Thomas concludes the book by summarizing the recent past and speculating about the likely status of sex in schools in the years ahead.

School Bullying

Tools for Avoiding Harm and Liability

Mary Jo McGrath

"There are many books and state/federal publications on bullying; however, the integration of legal mandates and guidelines with direct application is quite rare. This text offers a valuable and unique cross-discipline resource with its thorough review of legislative precedents."--Diana Joyce, School Psychologist, University of Florida"Educators rarely receive this kind of detailed legal information in their graduate school studies. When people purchase this book, it will be like having their own lawyer sitting right next to them."--Steve Hutton, Professional Development Specialist, Mayerson Academy, Cincinnati, OHTake legally sound steps to create a school environment that is safe for all students.Every hour of every day, students experience bullying and harassment at school by their peers. The immediate and long-term impact on the victims′ learning capabilities, emotional health, and self-esteem is staggering. School Bullying: Tools for Avoiding Harm and Liability tackles this critical problem with an easy-to-use framework that guides educators in using constructive thinking, listening, and speaking to take effective action.The McGrath SUCCEED® System outlined in this excellent text offers school leaders tools to create lasting, legally based, and ethically sound approaches to dealing with, and preventing, bullying in schools. This proven method covers both the content and context of bullying. You′ll be able to address these issues: Distinguishing bullying from acceptable student behavior Applying legally appropriate procedures and maintaining proper documentation Acting with honesty, compassion, and accountability Fostering trust, respect, understanding, and a commitment to growth Offering practices that put fundamental ethical principles into action This resource is vital to all schools, providing not only step-by-step procedures but also practical tools for investigating bullying situations and communicating effectively with students, parents, teachers, staff, and the community.

The PBIS Tier One Handbook

A Practical Approach to Implementing the Champion Model

Jessica Djabrayan Hannigan, Linda Hauser

Harness the proactive power of PBIS to improve student behavior More punishment won’t improve student behavior. Now, there’s a better way: The Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Champion Model. Through this breakthrough alternative, schools have reduced disciplinary incidences by 50% or more by implementing proactive, school-wide prevention practices. This research-based, action-oriented framework written by leading experts in PBIS implementation, will show you how to create a school culture where all students achieve both social and academic success. You’ll find: A convincing case for why teaching appropriate behavior, rather than punishing inappropriate behavior, is more effective for creating an environment conducive to learning A step-by-step framework for implementing a comprehensive systems approach, with specific actions to develop, monitor, and sustain each level of the system Success stories from teachers and administrators who have implemented the PBIS Champion Model Self-assessment exercises to ensure PBIS implementation starts on the right track and stays there Through this approach, you’ll have the tools to create a school environment that accelerates learning and has a positive impact on the emotional, social, academic, and physical well-being of every child. "This concisely-crafted book provides schools a systematic and doable framework for a comprehensive approach to building school climate, recognizing positive and appropriate behavior, and reducing detrimental school issues." Katy Olweiler, MA, MPA, NCC, Counselor Lakeside School, Seattle, Washington "Finally, we have a book that will impress readers who need to understand PBIS and become a resource on how to implement it successfully." Roberto Pamas, Principal O.W. Holmes Middle School, Alexandria, Virginia

Workplace Bullying in Higher Education

Jaime Lester

Higher education leaders, managers, human resource professionals, faculty, and staff increasingly face uncivil, bullying behaviors in academe. This can manifest itself as constant public humiliation by a new department chair, exclusion of a contingent faculty member, undermining of work performance by a supervisor, stalking by a staff member, or taunting. As higher education institutions continue to face budget issues and external pressure, the incidences of bullying are on the rise. This edited volume provides guidance on the nature and impact of bullying, legal and ethical issues, and approaches to assist leaders in facing these challenges in their colleges and universities. Research-based chapters cover the impact of bullying on the workforce, the ways that bullying manifests within different sub-cultures and at different institutions including community colleges, the legal and ethical issues of bullying, and recommendations to address bullying on campus. Exploring bullying policies and innovative programs, this book provides a better understanding of how to rethink current policies and practices to proactively create more civil cultures. Workplace Bullying in Higher Education is a valuable resource for all higher education leaders and professionals on understanding, mediating, and preventing bullying.

Guys and Guns Amok

Domestic Terrorism and School Shootings from the Oklahoma City Bombing to the Virginia Tech Massacre

Douglas Kellner

From the recent shootings at Virginia Tech University to the tragedies at Columbine and Oklahoma City, certain common traits can be traced through all of these events. In Guys and Guns Amok, media and cultural critic Douglas Kellner provides a fascinating diagnostic reading of these acts of domestic terrorism. Skillfully connecting each case with the current environment for male socialization and the search for identity in an American culture obsessed with guns and militarism, Kellner's work is a sobering reflection on these tragedies and the pervasive power of media and popular culture as well as a wake-up call for the future.

There is a Gunman on Campus

Tragedy and Terror at Virginia Tech

Ben Agger, Timothy W. Luke

On April 16, 2007, a Virginia Tech student killed 32 of his classmates and professors and then turned the gun on himself. The media focused their power and our attention on the campus, the students and faculty of Virginia Tech, and the gunman and his victims. But we have yet t...

Tragedy in Aurora

The Culture of Mass Shootings in America

Tom Diaz

Tragedy in Aurora is about the 2012 murder of budding sports journalist Jessica (Jessi) Redfield Ghawi in a public mass shooting, and the widening circle of pain it inflicted on her family, friends, police, medical first responders, and others. The book is at the same time a deep examination of the causes and potential cures of the quintessential 21st century American sickness—public mass shootings. At the heart of that examination is an unpacking of America’s deep polarization and political gridlock. It addresses head on the question of why? Why is American gun violence so different from other countries? Why does nothing seem to change? The “Parkland kids” inspired hope of change. But the ultimate questions stubbornly remain—what should, what can, and what will Americans do to reduce gun violence? Tragedy in Aurora argues that the answer lies in a conscious cultural redefinition of American civic order. Over recent decades, America has defined a cultural “new normal” about guns and gun violence. Americans express formalistic dismay after every public mass shooting. But many accept gun violence as an inevitable, even necessary, and to some laudable part of what it means to be “American.” Although Americans claim to be shocked with each new outrage, so far they have failed to coalesce around an effective way to reduce gun death and injury. The debate is bogged down in polarized and profoundly ideological political and cultural argument. Meanwhile, America continues to lead the globe in its pandemic levels of gun deaths and injuries. Combined with the cynical “learned helplessness” of its politicians, the result is gridlock and a growing roll of victims of carnage. Is there a path out of this cultural and political gridlock? Tragedy in Aurora argues that if America is to reduce gun violence it must expand the debate and confront the fundamental question of “who are we?” Tom Diaz gives a new understanding of American culture and the potential for change offered by the growing number and ongoing organization of victims and survivors of gun violence. Without conscious cultural change, the book argues, there is little prospect of effective laws or public policy to reduce gun violence in general and public mass shootings in particular.

Media/cultural Studies

Critical Approaches

Rhonda Hammer, Douglas Kellner

This anthology is designed to assist teachers and students in learning how to better understand and interpret our common culture and everyday life. With a focus on contemporary media, consumer, and digital culture, this book combines classic and original writings by both leading and rising scholars in the field. The chapters present key theories, concepts, and methodologies of critical cultural and media studies, as well as cutting-edge research into new media. Sections on teaching media/cultural studies and concrete case studies provide practical examples that illuminate contemporary culture, ranging from new forms of digital media and consumer culture to artifacts from TV and film, including Barbie and Big Macs, soap operas, Talk TV, Facebook, and YouTube. The lively articles show that media/cultural studies is an exciting and relevant arena, and this text should enable students and citizens to become informed readers and critics of their culture and society.

After Gun Violence

Deliberation and Memory in an Age of Political Gridlock

Craig Rood

Mass shootings have become the “new normal” in American life. The same can be said for the public debate that follows a shooting: blame is cast, political postures are assumed, but no meaningful policy changes are enacted. In After Gun Violence, Craig Rood argues that this cycle is the result of a communication problem. Without advocating for specific policies, Rood examines how Americans talk about gun violence and suggests how we might discuss the issues more productively and move beyond our current, tragic impasse. Exploring the ways advocacy groups, community leaders, politicians, and everyday citizens talk about gun violence, Rood reveals how the gun debate is about far more than just guns. He details the role of public memory in shaping the discourse, showing how memories of the victims of gun violence, the Second Amendment, and race relations influence how gun policy is discussed. In doing so, Rood argues that forgetting and misremembering this history leads interest groups and public officials to entrenched positions and political failure and drives the public further apart. Timely and innovative, After Gun Violence advances our understanding of public discourse in an age of gridlock by illustrating how public deliberation and public memory shape and misshape one another. It is a search to understand why public discourse fails and how we can do better.

Gun Violence and Public Life

Ben Agger, Timothy W. Luke

Schools, theatres and malls used to be safe havens. Marathons were triumphal, not tragic. Today, public life is risky. Citizens are on edge, either calling for gun control or purchasing personal weapons of self-defense. In this timely book, prominent US and international authors examine gun violence in public life. They offer the latest data and analysis on topics such as comparative gun homicide rates, the efficacy of gun control, risks associated with gun ownership, concealed-carry data and policy, media and gaming violence, gender and guns, and school shootings. New insights are developed from a comparative case study of Canada, a country in which gun ownership is common but with a much lower rate of gun violence. Neither demonising nor mythologising guns, the contributors provide evidence-based analyses that shed light on policy directions and personal conduct.