Of War and Men ~ Research by GSU Sociology Faculty Member
Congratulations to Georgia State University Sociology Professor Ralph LaRossa on the recent publication of his research:
LaRossa, Ralph. Of War and Men: World War II in the Lives of Fathers and Their Families. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011.
Starting with the attack on Pearl Arbor and closing with the election of John F. Kennedy, LaRossa:
[E]xplores the nature and after effects of combat, the culture of fear during the Cold War, the ways that fear altered the lives of racial and sexual minorities, and how the civil rights movement affected families both black and white. Overturning some calcified myths, LaRossa also analyzes the impact of suburbanization on fathers and their kids, discovering that living in the suburbs often strengthened their bond. And finally, looking beyond the idealized dad enshrined in TV sitcoms, Of War and Men explores the brutal side of family life in the postwar years. LaRossa’s richly researched book dismantles stereotypes while offering up a fascinating and incisive chronicle of fatherhood in all its complexity.*
Also be sure to check out Dr. LaRossa’s historical analysis of fatherhood between World War I and World War II:
LaRossa, R. (1997). The Modernization of Fatherhood: A Social and Political History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
*Excerpt from University of Chicago Press description.