Rose McDermott, David and Marianna Fisher University Professor of International Relations, Professor of Political Science, has a new book title, "The Evils of Polygyny: Evidence of It's Harm to Women, Men, and Society," Cornell University Press 2018.

Why do men act violently toward women? 

What are the consequences of "normal violence," not only for women and children but also for the men who instigate it, and for the societies that sanction it?

The Evils of Polygyny examines one powerful structural factor that instigates, enforces, and replicates patterns of male dominance: the practice of polygyny. From more than a decade's worth of study, Rose McDermott has produced a book that uncovers the violent impact of polygyny on women, children, and the nation-state and adds fundamentally to the burgeoning focus on gender concerns in political psychology and international relations. Integrating these fields, as well as domestic policy and human rights, the author urges us to address the question of violence toward women and children. If we do not, a system that tells young women they must marry whom their elders dictate and devote their entire lives to serving others will continue to plague the contemporary world, and restrict development.