I reviewed Jamil Jivani’s new book, Why Young Men?, for Comment magazine. It’s a fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) book that explores the very important question of why young men are radicalized and embrace violence. It is a bit tricky to nail down his central thesis, but his main themes center around the idea that young men experience alienation as a result of racism, nonfunctional state institutions (mostly the police and schools), and lack of job opportunities. This alienation is amplified by fatherlessness and family dysfunction.
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