I
am a writer and public speaker who has worked on issues of
privilege, oppression, and social inequality since receiving my Ph.D. in
sociology from the University of Michigan in 1972. I began this work in
the 1970s with a focus on men's violence against women. After 30 years
of college teaching, I now devote myself entirely to writing and public
speaking. I have worked
with more than 200 schools
and organizations in 36 states. My books include The Forest and the Trees: Sociology as Life,
Practice, and Promise (rev. ed., 2008), The Blackwell Dictionary of
Sociology (2nd ed., 2000), The Gender Knot:
Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy (rev. ed., 2005) and Privilege, Power, and Difference
(2nd ed., 2005). My writing has been
translated into several languages and excerpted in numerous anthologies.
My novel, The First Thing and
the Last, will be published in February.
For information on my books, use the "Books" menu on the
sidebar. For shorter writings that you can read online, see the
"Essays" menu.
I am available for presentations and workshops related to
issues of social inequality, privilege, and oppression
("Presentations" menu on the sidebar). In this work, my goal is to present controversial, often difficult
issues with gentle and compassionate clarity, in ways that people not only understand, but
can relate to on a personal level. I try to offer a blend of life
experience, humor, social reality, audience participation, and clear analysis that opens
windows to new and productive ways of thinking and living in the world. As a
straight white nondisabled male, I am especially concerned with reaching members
of dominant groups who may feel so
uncomfortable with issues of privilege that they won't even talk about
them.
Photo: Mark Bennington