On Being a Man

What does ‘masculinity’ mean today?

On Being a Man brings together four men to consider the condition of Scottish men, reflect on their own backgrounds and experiences, and confront some of the most difficult issues men face. These include the changing roles of men in Scottish society, the role of work and employment.

What it means to be a man is very different from forty years ago: in terms of expectations, relationships, how men relate to partners, bring up children and what constitutes a modern family. However, there is a dark side of Scottish masculinity – seen in the drinking, violent, abusive behaviour of some Scots men, and this book addresses this directly, getting into issues many of us often shy away from confronting.

Draws on the wide-ranging voices of: journalist, writer and broadcaster, David Torrance; founder of a youth employment and mentoring charity, Sandy Campbell; public health researcher, Pete Seaman; and former policeman and head of the violence reduction unit, John Carnochan.

David Torrance DAVID TORRANCE is a freelance writer, journalist, public relations consultant and broadcaster. He is a regular contributor to STVs Politics Now programme, writes obituaries for the Sunday Herald and political comment for The Scotsman. Torrance has written six previous books and is also currently studying a part-time PhD in Political History at Queen Mary, University of London.

Sandy Campbell

Sandy Campbell is the creator of Working Rite which is a mentoring project for teenagers.