Many of our countryOs children face daily a threat to their personal safety and well-being. As school boards, law enforcement officials, and policymakers continue to look for ways to stop youth violence in urban and suburban schools, not enough attention is paid to eradicating the socioeconomic and cultural conditions that give rise to these acts. In this timely and thought-provoking collection, seasoned educators and cultural theorists emphasize this connection between youth violence and the realities faced by many children—poverty, racism, unequal opportunity, and the mediaOs glorification of violence.

"This edited volume is an interesting collection of essays that provides a passionate cultural critique of American democracy and the failure of its social institutions to reduce violence and promote social justice.The articles stretch our definition of violence and its causes, including thought provoking critiques of gender ideology and the destruction of humanity through oppressive social structures. The book is extremely well written." - Contemporary Sociology

"Readers will appreaciate the honesty in this book. Smoke and Mirrors challenges us. It asks us to take responsibility for ourselves and to help our children." - Jac

"A collection of ten wide-ranging and provocative essays that is assembled as a multi-sited ethnography." - Theory and Psychology