Ileana Rodriguez (2016). Gender Violence in Failed and Democratic States: Besieging Perverse Masculinities. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. 208 Pages. ISBN 978-1-137-59833-2

Abstract

In this book, Rodriguez aims to understand the roots of gender violence, more specifically men’s violence against women. For this purpose, throughout the book, she gives examples of specific cases such as Nicaragua, the U.S.S.R, Austria and the U.S.A., and examines these examples through mostly psychoanalysis and sometimes through by political science perspectives. The book is an easy read as the case studies - by utilizing newspaper articles- are used as a very useful tool to exemplify the theories behind. Moreover, some literary sources such as poems and novels, or even movies are utilized to reveal male desire and male view of violence against the women which are the true roots of gender violence against women.