Understanding America’s Gun Culture focuses on building understanding of some of the issues associated with US gun culture and the contemporary debate about the availability and use of guns. This edited volume is unique in that it draws on a wide variety of disciplines and presents perspectives on both sides of the debate. Contributors hail from the academic disciplines of history, social work, criminal justice, sociology, religion, and theological ethics as well as policy agencies. Some chapters examine the issues social-psychologically to help readers better understand dynamics within the debate. Others pose important ethical and philosophical questions about gun culture. Still others address practical policy solutions for enhancing gun safety and minimizing gun violence, even bringing in international perspectives. Together, the chapters create a thought-provoking compilation that offers insightful findings, considers theoretical and practical implications, and invites further exploration of the topic.

"This ambitiously titled work, published in the context of high-profile mass shootings, contains eight chapters. . . Valuable contributions focus on the rhetoric surrounding gun ownership, the gun culture of law-abiding citizens, and a study on the profiles of mass shooters in school settings. At first glance, the book suffers from having two chapters on the same subject: reconciling Christian ethics and US gun ownership. However, the Christian ethics chapter, by Matt Stolick, is the standout chapter of the book. He writes an excellent overview of gun laws in relation to the gun industry, though the chapter would have been better placed toward the front of the book. Chapters on social violence and gender differences in Caribbean and German gun culture are interesting. . . Overall, this book contributes to the literature on gun culture. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." - CHOICE