Description
Men on Strike by Helen Smith, Ph.D. is a provocative and thought-provoking examination of why growing numbers of men are opting out of traditional life milestones like marriage, fatherhood, higher education, and full participation in society. Smith, a forensic psychologist, argues that this isn’t laziness or immaturity — it’s a rational response by men who feel that the incentives and legal structures around marriage, divorce, child custody, and education have shifted against them.
Drawing on research, interviews, surveys, and her professional background in psychology, Smith explores how changing divorce and family court laws have made marriage feel like a risky proposition for many men, why male enrolment in universities has been declining steadily, the cultural messaging that increasingly portrays masculinity in a negative light, how workplace and institutional policies may inadvertently disadvantage men, and the broader social consequences when large numbers of men disengage from family life and civic responsibility.
The book doesn’t claim that women are to blame or that progress toward gender equality is wrong. Rather, Smith argues that a healthy society needs both men and women to be engaged, and that ignoring the growing disengagement of men has consequences for families, communities, and economies.
This is a relevant read for men, women, relationship counsellors, sociologists, and policymakers across Kenya and East Africa. As conversations around gender roles, marriage dynamics, and masculinity evolve across the continent, this book offers a perspective worth considering — whether you agree with its conclusions or not.
A thought-provoking companion to The Boy Crisis, The Rational Male, and Cheap Sex.
Get your PDF copy instantly from Cliffmatt Books at just Ksh 100 — delivered via WhatsApp or email after M-Pesa payment.
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