This event addresses some of the important issues facing men and boys in our society today and puts forward a positive vision of masculinity that is compatible with gender equality.
Boys in OECD countries are 50% more likely than girls to fail at all three key school subjects: maths, literacy, and science. Meanwhile, suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK. Profound economic and social changes of recent decades have left many men at a disadvantage in these areas. Many previous attempts to treat this condition have made the same fatal mistake - of viewing the problems of men as a problem with men. In his new book, Richard V Reeves explores how the male malaise is the result of deep structural challenges and societal issues. Richard draws on a careful analysis of social, economic, and demographic trends; current discussions on gender in psychology, public policy, economics and sociology; as well as on interviews with men and women, girls and boys. In particular, he examines the worrying signs that males are less responsive to social programs and policies intended to promote economic mobility.
Meet our speakers and chair
Abigail McKnight is Director of the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion at LSE where she has worked since 1999. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). Her research interests include inequality, poverty, wealth, social mobility, higher education and employment policy. She organises CASE Welfare Policy and Analysis Seminars and is an editorial board member of Social Inclusion.
Richard V Reeves (@RichardvReeves) is a senior fellow in Economic Studies, where he holds the John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair. Richard is the Director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative. His research focuses on the middle class, inequality and social mobility. He is a contributor to The Atlantic, National Affairs, Democracy Journal, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
Nicola Lacey is School Professor of Law, Gender and Social Policy. From 1998 to 2010 she held a Chair in Criminal Law and Legal Theory at LSE; she returned to LSE in 2013 after spending three years as Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, and Professor of Criminal Law and Legal Theory at the University of Oxford. She is also an Associate of the International Inequalities Institute at LSE.
More about this event
The International Inequalities Institute (@LSEInequalities) at LSE brings together experts from many LSE departments and centres to lead critical and cutting-edge research to understand why inequalities are escalating in numerous arenas across the world, and to develop critical tools to address these challenges.
You can order the book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It (UK delivery only) rom our official LSE Events independent book shop, Pages of Hackney.
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Podcast & Video
A podcast of this event is available to download from Of Boys and Men: new challenges for gender equality.
A video of this event is available to watch at Of Boys and Men: new challenges for gender equality.
Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.