Gender, violence and the social order

the long version

"This book provides a thorough introduction to contemporary social theory by examining the way in which the widespread existence of violence against women is explained. A wide range of theories from liberalism to evolutionary psychology are considered, culminating in the development of a distinctive feminist position. The theories discussed are tested against a large-scale survey, the findings of which challenge many conventional wisdoms as to the patterning of violence in contemporary society."--BOOK JACKET.