States of Rage permeate our culture and our daily lives. From the
anti-Catholic protests of ACT-UP to the political posturing of Al
Sharpton, from the LA Riots to anti-abortion gunmen murdering clinic
personnel, the unleashing of rage, marginalized or institutional, has
translated into dead bodies on our campuses and city streets, in our
public buildings and in our homes. Rage seems to have gained a currency
in the past decade which it previously did not possess. Suddenly we
appear willing to employ it more often to describe our own or others'
mental states or actions. Rage succinctly describes an ongoing emotional
state for many residents and citizens of the United States and
elsewhere.
States of Rage gathers for the first time a critical mass of writing
about rage--its function, expression, and utilities. It examines rage as
a cultural phenomenon, delineating its use and explaining why this
emotional state increasingly intrudes into our social, artistic, and
academic existences. What is the relationship between rage and
power(lessness)? How does rage relate to personal or social injustice?
Can we ritualize rage or is it always spontaneous? Finally, what
provokes rage and what is provocative about it? Essays shed light on the
psychological and social origins of rage, its relationship to the self,
its connection to culture, and its possible triggers.
The volume includes chapters on violence in the workplace, the Montreal
massacre, female murderers, the rage of African- American filmmakers,
rage as a reaction to persecution, the rage of AIDS activists, class
rage, and rage in the academy.
