The mad social scientist of biological reductionism is up to his old tricks again. Tiger, the anthropologist who 30 years ago brought us the notion of “male bonding” (in Men in Groups, 1969) returns once again to a biological argument to explain the “declining” influence of men in modern society. Tiger’s theoretical premise is egregiously essentialist to those with a background in cultural theory (he likens these social scientists to Christian Scientists in relation to medicine)—we must “understand basic human nature” before we can talk about economic, political, psychiatric, or feminist theories. In this particular instance, he wishes to relate the declining role of men in society to the advent of birth control, which puts reproductive power in the hands of women. His argument is stringently antifeminist—he calls feminism “female-ism” and implies that we are caught up in the midst of a shift from male production to female reproduction. The basic implication is that if women stayed home and had babies, they would maintain the support and comfort of their husbands, they would continue to vote in the same manner as their husbands, and men and women would be less at polar extremes in the productive marketplace. Men are seen as cut out of the reproductive agreement due to the rise of hidden contraception, and thus they are rendered redundant and out of control. Tiger actually praises “welfare queens,” whom he sees as rising up and revolting by staying home and out of the economy—to raise their children (conveniently ignoring the messy social, historical, and economic ramifications involved). One of the more annoying aspects of Tiger’s style is that he constantly employs cultural examples in an attempt to support his biological arguments—he goes as far as employing the religious story of Jesus” birth to explain the biological “foundations of human emotionality.” If you didn’t buy the notion that male patterns of behavior are imprinted on a genetic level, then you probably won’t buy this one either.
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 1-58238-014-7
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Golden Books/Random
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
A rather odd assortment of old and new thoughts by Harvard's most articulate feminist biologist. Versions of these commentaries by Hubbard have been published previously or are soon to be published in a variety of books and journals. There's even an op-ed piece from the New York Times and a book review from the Village Voice. Hubbard has tried to impose order on this collection by grouping the selections into three parts and prefacing each with a brief explanation of how the individual pieces in it came to be written. In the first and most cohesive part, ``The Link Between Genes, Illness, and Behavior,'' she continues her campaign against genetic research detailed in Exploding the Gene Myth (1993). Such research, she asserts, not only fosters unwelcome dependence on questionable predictions and brings huge profits to makers of genetic tests, but it also takes time, attention, and resources away from broader problems. Indeed, she questions whether society should be focusing on high-tech solutions to any health problems while illness and death are often due to such preventable causes as malnutrition, poor sanitation, and poverty. Parts two, ``Women, Science, and Power,'' and three, ``Toward a Political Understanding of Science,'' continue the theme of The Politics of Women's Biology (1990). From a feminist stance, she examines how prominent scientists reinforce opinions that oppress women, and she takes a critical look at the interplay between scientific work and cultural and political ideologies. Hubbard's message- -that science must be shaped by the needs of ordinary people, not by the profit motives of a few—is persuasive, and though not likely to halt the human genome project, the book does provide interesting material for discussion in science and women's studies courses. Taken individually, the pieces are invariably clear and sometimes even compelling, but the book as a whole lacks cohesion and seems to be unsure of its purpose.
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1995
ISBN: 1-56751-041-8
Page Count: 150
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
A sure sign that Lasch's latest (and, sadly, last) book deserves wide acclaim is that it will infuriate those who cling to conventional notions of left and right. Lasch remains as relentless a critic of liberal progressivism as he is of unfettered capitalism. In many ways, this sharp and penetrating study culminates his career as a social critic of the highest order. It's an articulate challenge to the anti-democratic notions of both market and statist liberals: Both, in Lasch's view, share an exalted sense of the professional and managerial class, thereby diminishing a vital middle class in this country. Throughout his many books, Lasch (The True and Only Heaven, 1991) notes, from his early work on liberals and the Russian Revolution through his biting analysis of self- styled radical intellectuals, he has always concerned himself with one overarching question: Does democracy have a future? More so than his earlier, often naysaying books, this wonderfully vigorous and urgent set of essays makes explicit Lasch's hope for a renewal of our best democratic values: the civil arts of public discourse and debate; an educational system that stresses commonality, not difference; and, quite simply, religion—one of the best disciplines against professional arrogance. For Lasch, to accept our inability to master a God-given world is the first step to a more realistic vision for humanity. The course of our century, as he argues with great historical nuance, has steered us from a sense of the ``common good.'' Our public spaces continue to dwindle, and the language of politics, journalism, and the academy no longer invites the average person into the argument, as democracy once promised. The ``democratic habits'' of ``self-reliance, responsibility, and initiative'' have degraded into a mad rush for social mobility. The common wellsprings for a civil society- -families, neighborhoods, traditions—are now seen as impediments to financial success or as oppressive representatives of sexism and racism. This brave piece of social criticism answers Lasch's critics with a message so simple and obvious, it's sublime. (First serial to Harper's)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-393-03699-5
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Norton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
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