Hello, and welcome to another edition of the Member Profiles section of the SARAH Newsletter!
In this edition, we introduce you to two very important people in the field of Gender and Criminology: James Messerschmidt and Roslyn Muraskin. James Messerschmidt’s focus on the ways people “do” gender, and particularly on how men “do” their masculinity, reminds us all that the issue of gender affects everyone. His most recent work focuses on transgender people, and on hegemony in American politics. In his profile, you will also see how he is focusing on how to most effectively mix activism and scholarship.
Roslyn Muraskin’s many works on women as offenders, workers and victims educated us all about the value of complicating traditional categories to better understand gender, race and crime. In her profile, you will see the myriad ways she works tirelessly as a celebrated writer, editor, board member, director and volunteer in her academic and personal lives.
They took the time to answer our questions so that we can get to know their work and their lives a little bit better.
If you have suggestions for DWC members or significant contributors to the field of women and crime that you would like to see profiled, please contact Alana Van Gundy-Yoder at yoderal@muohio.edu or Venezia Michalsen at michalsenv@mail.montclair.edu . We would enjoy hearing from you!
Until next edition,
Alana and Venezia
DR. JAMES W. MESSERSCHMIDT
PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
How did you become interested in the field of women and/or gender and crime?
First, let me thank you very much for your interest in me and in my work. I have always felt that the Division on Women and Crime is one of the most important sections in the American Society of Criminology, especially for its’ often insightful scholarship and unyielding activism. So I am extremely humbled at your interest in profiling me.
My first academic work was on race, class, and the legal system and culminated in my 1983 publication, The Trial of Leonard Peltier (South End Press). At that time I was writing from a Marxist perspective, but having read the important work of both past and present socialist feminists, I became convinced of the validity of their views and I quickly attempted to incorporate many of their significant and important conceptualizations into a socialist feminist understanding of crime (see my Capitalism, Patriarchy, and Crime: Toward a Socialist Feminist Criminology, Rowman & Littlefield, 1986). That work on socialist feminism began my interest in gender and crime, which eventually became primarily centered on masculinities and crime.
How do you define yourself as a scholar/activist/educator?
I define myself as an “academic activist.” Since my involvement with the anti-Vietnam War movement as an undergraduate —and a member of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Young Socialists—I have strongly maintained that real change can only occur through social movements at the grass-roots level. In fact, since the late-1960s I have actively participated (at different times) in a variety of student, socialist, liberal, Native American, gay/lesbian, women’s, and, most recently, transgender, grass-roots groups. Ultimately I came to understand that a salient aspect of any social movement must include men who practice a masculinity that recognizes and works toward human equality and social justice. Because of their sex/gender privilege, men have access to vital resources that benefit social change. Thus men who support gender equality can contribute importantly to gender justice, and one privileged resource I have access to is of course the academy. Accordingly, my scholarship and teaching are both an important part of my activism. I am probably mostly known simply as a masculinities and crime specialist, but I see myself broadly as a sociological gender theorist who has concentrated on an analysis of crime as a form of activism. So I define myself as an “academic activist” who uses his privilege to work politically in the community and through my scholarship and teaching.
What are your current projects or interests?
This summer I am involved in two different projects. The first is a life-history study of transgender people. During the spring semester I completed thirty interviews of people who self-identified as either a “transman” or a “genderqueer,” and currently I am in the process of analyzing the data. My second undertaking this summer is more long term, which compares the hegemonic masculinities of the two Bush presidents—George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The plan is to juxtapose the hegemonic masculinities constructed just prior to the Iraq Wars of Bush senior and Bush junior. The research involves a content analysis of all their speeches leading up to each of the Iraq wars and how they “sold” those wars both regionally and globally in a similar and a different gendered way. I will also analyze their involvement in the “making” of these two wars by examining the differing “Bush masculinities” and how each of these dominating masculinities is different from their respective hegemonic masculinities.
Who is your favorite person (or animal!) to spend time with, and what are your favorite things to do when you are with them?
My partner Ulla Eurenius—who is from Sweden—is my favorite person to spend time with. Each of us have our own interests—Ulla is a librarian, I’m a professor; Ulla likes to edit nature (her term for gardening!), I like to edit my manuscripts—but we also spend much time together. I can say without hesitation that our relationship is defined through the idea that “the personal is political;” that is, we consciously attempt (but may not always succeed!) to construct an equal human relationship. For example, what I designate in my teaching as the “three C’s of household labor”—Cooking, Cleaning, and Caring—are for the most part accomplished equally together in our household. We enjoy cooking the evening meal together, we both contribute to all aspects of cleaning the house, and when our two sons were young and living at home, we both cared for them (and continue to do so) in different but evenly matched ways. When you have at least one other person to share what can be extraordinarily arduous household tasks, it can become fun, and often (not always!) the three C’s are a playful and a joyous event that we do together. We also equally share together all aspects of decision-making that impact us and our broader families and, of course, we like to visit our sons and friends, watch movies, go to the theatre and various concerts (from the symphony to Bob Dylan!), and we especially love to travel to Europe.
How do you wind down after a stressful day?
Cooking the evening meal, having a glass (or two!) of wine, and spending time with Ulla.
What obstacles do you feel you have overcome to be where you are today?
As a straight white male I have been granted privilege in many aspects of life, and such privilege has allowed me to be where I am today. However, I did grow up working class in a violent household—my father was an authoritarian and domineering man who would verbally and physically abuse my mother, my brother, and me. Overcoming this extremely difficult relationship with my father has been a lifetime effort on my part, but the closeness to my mother and her strength as a woman who struggled against my father—I always like to describe her as “a feminist before feminism”—helped immensely in guiding much of my restoration as well as my activist path toward human equality and social justice.
What would you like to be remembered for?
Academically, I would like to be remembered for my work on masculinities. For example, in a recent co-authored piece in Gender & Society, Raewyn (formerly Bob) Connell and I thoroughly examined the history, application, and criticisms of the concept of “hegemonic masculinity,” and then we considered how the concept might justifiably be reformulated. One of the reasons for writing this piece was to promote debate on, and a re-thinking of, that concept, and we wanted to encourage an ongoing dialogue and thus new developments in the field. I think the concept of hegemonic masculinity remains extremely important, and it shouldn’t go away for either intellectual or political reasons. When Connell and I examined the literature, we discovered that 20 years of research actually suggested empirically existing hegemonic masculinities at the local, regional, and global levels. And I think this is an important area that will attract future studies that compare these different levels of hegemonic masculinities and how they influence each other. Another area of increasing interest is of course women, girls, and masculinities. If we are to remain true to the notion of gender as a socially constructed practice, then we must admit to and examine when and how masculine practices go together with a female body. Thus, we need extensive research not simply on hegemonic masculinities and their relationship to crime, but on girls, women, masculinities, and crime and how such masculinities are similar to and different from boys, men, masculinities, and crime.
Outside academics, I hope I’m remembered for being a caring, loving, and supportive partner, father, friend, and colleague who contributed in at least some small way to various social movements for human equality and social justice.
What is one of your lifelong goals?
To live in a more equal and just world at all levels—local, regional, and global.
For more information on James W. Messerschmidt, please visit www.usm.maine.edu/crm/faculty/messerschmidt.html .
DR. ROSLYN MURASKIN
PROFESSOR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
C.W. POST CAMPUS – LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY
How did you become interested in the field of women and/or gender and crime?
My career started with the Manhattan Bail Project for the then Vera Institute of Justice (and now Vera Foundation). There I worked in the New York City Criminal Courts doing research regarding the setting of bail for indigent defendants. I was the Assistant Director and then became Director of the Program for the New York City Department of Probation (as an appointed person not through Civil Service) where I headed up the Women’s area. My husband, who is an attorney, was involved in lawsuits regarding the rights of women who were incarcerated in jails where there was evidence of disparate treatment. So I guess I fell into this area. My doctoral dissertation was in the field of disparate treatment of incarcerated women in jails and I developed an instrument to measure such disparity. When I began teaching one of the courses given to me was Gender and the Law, and here I am.
How do you define yourself as a scholar/activist/educator?
All three words define me. Most of my scholarly work has been in the field of gender and the law, though I have co-edited/co-written written other works, i.e. Visions for Change: Crime and Justice in the Twenty-First Century, Fifth Edition, for Prentice Hall and have recently completed the second edition of Key Correctional Issues, for Prentice Hall. I make sure that chapters on Gender are always included in such works. And of course my work, It’s a Crime: Women and Justice, Fourth Edition, is about women –
and being the editor of the Women’s Series for Prentice Hall – all being scholarly works, yes, a scholar.
An activist absolutely – I am out there defending the rights of women with issues regarding privacy (abortion – right to choose), issues of harassment and as well community activities (last year I was awarded Civic Leader of the Year by the Town of Brookhaven, in New York). You will always see me up front defending the rights of all and dealing with issues that impact both us as women as well as environmental issues. I also have been recognized for my work with those who suffer from AIDS. I am extremely active in the gated community where I live. I just finished two terms as President, am now secretary and let me know if you know what it is like to be a volunteer, you would understand. So, yes activist.
And, educator absolutely – I have just completed twenty-eight years of university teaching, and look forward to many, many more years (if you don’t tell anyone, I do it because I love it and it brings great satisfaction to me personally, to see students succeed).
What are your current projects or interests?
Currently, I have just completed the second edition of Key Correctional Issues for Prentice Hall; and have completed the editing and foreword of two works for the women’s series for Prentice Hall. I have put one edition of A Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society a refereed journal published quarterly by Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group to bed and am currently working on the last one for this year, Volume 21 Number 4. At the university where I am the Director of the Long Island Women’s Institute as well as the Executive Director of the College of Management Alumni Chapter, I am working on our conferences, seminars, and contacting speakers for the academic year 2008-2009. Additionally, we did a mailing to over 7000 alums of the College of Management and entering that data into our books. We raise monies for scholarships for students, so that is another focus for this summer.
As a director of the Home Owner’s Association where I live, I am involved daily in on going projects, and doing what is in the best interests of close to 2,000 people where I live.
Boating and playing golf are on the agenda as well for this summer. So I have enough to keep me busy.
Who is your favorite person (or animal) to spend time with, and what are your favorite things to do when you are with them?
Well, my favorite person to spend time with is my husband, Matthew. We have been married 43 years (I got married when I was 10 years old – only kidding). We are able to discuss issues related to law (both of us being in a profession where crime “counts”. Together, we enjoy boating, playing golf, traveling and simply relaxing with each other. In addition, we have six grandchildren (much too young for this – kidding) whose ages range from 9, 8, 6 (two of them), and 3 (two of them) – 4 girls and two boys. I am the kind of grandmother that believes in getting down on the ground and playing with them, not watching. I play ball, read stories, take them to Broadway shows (the 8 year old has seen at least 6 with me), and just doing things together with them.
How do you wind down after a stressful day?
Hopefully there are few stressful days, but wind down? I take a deep breath, realize that the things that may have taken place are not that important or worthwhile worrying about. I am a breast cancer survivor (13 years now) and I have a different outlook on life. I enjoy the sunsets and sunrises, I enjoy looking at the water, and try to enjoy life. Those things which may stress others, I just seem to push aside: “it ain’t worth it.”
What obstacles do you feel you have overcome to be where you are today?
I have had to prove to others that just because I am a woman, do not stereotype me. I have the ability to administer, to work on projects with the most trifling of details and I have the ability to lead. I speak up when it is necessary and to not let people ignore me because I am a woman. I am in what was traditionally a man’s world at one time, i.e., field of criminal justice, but now I am “one of the guys” which does not bother me in the least, because my reputation is give it to Roz if you want it done, and they are right, I will do it. But, do not take unfair advantage, because you will hear from me. I stand up for what I believe and follow through on all chores, and that sets an example for others, and lets others know what I am all about.
What would you like to be remembered for?
That’s an interesting question. I guess having made a difference in the lives of my students is important to me. My reputation is “Muraskin is going to make you work,” but when the students come back years/months later (and they do) and say I want to be just like you; or, you have been my inspiration, that truly means I have succeeded, and that brings a smile both inside and out. And, of course seeing my own children succeed and having set an example for them is also something to be remembered for. When I went back for my Ph.D., I was working full time as a college instructor, was chair of my department and then appointed Assistant Dean and then Associate Dean all while working full time and having my three children in school: 4th grade, 3rd grade and kindergarten. I came home and did my homework as they did theirs. They were present when I received my doctorate and they have all gone on to careers where they work hard, earn good money and understand that it can be done.
What is one of my lifelong goals?
To keep going! Keeping your mind active and being involved on an intellectual level is what keeps you active and alive. My mom is 93 years old, lives by herself, and is as active as I am, in fact maybe even more so. My grandfather who lived until the age of 90 went every day to the library to learn a new fact. He was college educated and keeping one’s mind active keeps you alive and healthy. So… to continue to be active, to keep my mind and body active, and to be me!
For more information on the activities of Roslyn Muraskin, please visit the Long Island Women’s Institute and the C.W. Post College of Management Alumni Chapter.