It's not just the bully in the schoolyard that we should be worried about. The one-on-one bullying that dominates the national conversation, this timely book suggests, is actually part of a larger problem—a natural outcome of the bullying nature of our national institutions. And as long as the United States embraces militarism and aggressive capitalism, systemic bullying and all its impacts—at home and abroad—will persist as a major crisis. Bullying looks very similar on the personal and institutional levels: it involves an imbalance of power and behavior that consistently undermines its victim, securing compliance and submission and reinforcing the bully's sense of superiority and legitimacy. The similarity, this book tells us, is not a coincidence. Applying the concept of the “sociological imagination,” which links private problems and public issues, authors Charles Derber and Yale Magrass argue that individual bullying is an outgrowth—and a necessary function—of a larger social phenomenon. Bullying is seen here as a structural problem arising from systems organized around steep power hierarchies—from the halls of the Pentagon, Congress, and corporate offices to classrooms and playing fields and the environment. Dominant people and institutions need to create a culture in which violence and aggression are seen as natural and just: one where individuals compete over who will be bully or victim, and each is seen as deserving their fate within this hierarchy. The larger the inequalities of power in society, or among nations, or even across species, the more likely it is that both institutional and personal bullying will become commonplace. The authors see the life-long psychological scars interpersonal bullying can bring, but believe it is almost impossible to reduce such bullying without first challenging the institutions that breed and encourage it. In the United States a system of intertwined corporations, governments, and military institutions carries out “systemic bullying” to create profits and sustain its own power. While acknowledging the diversity and savagery of many other bully nations, the authors contend that America, as the most powerful nation in the world—and one that aggressively promotes its system as a model—merits special attention. It is only by recognizing the bullying built into this model that we can address the real problem, and in this, Bully Nation makes a hopeful beginning.

"Carol Bly is a one woman army fighting moral drift and the bullies of the world. Her book will inspire others to join the fight. Changing the Bully Who Rules the World uses literature and the social sciences to examine solutions to our cultural problems. Her analysis is complex, incisve and hopeful." --Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia Bosses, partners, governments, corporations -- all can act as bullies in our lives, intimidating us to their will. But changing their behavior may be in our power. In this provocative, visionary book, Carol Bly examines some of this century's most far-ranging concepts about how to nurture ethical human beings and presents them through the lens of excellent contemporary literature. Through an anthology of exceptional literature, Bly's book asks the reader to contemplate anew the voices she presents - including works by Charles Baxter, Donald Hall, Jim Harrison, Mark Helprin, Denise Levertov, Thomas McGrath, Joyce Carol Oates, Mary Oliver, Katha Pollitt, Alice Walker, Tobias Wolff, and many others -- and to consider them in terms of the ideas of important thinkers in human behavior and our own experiences.

This book explicates “bullying” as a concept and as a social and cultural phenomenon that has become a defining reality of the times in which we live. The author begins in the arena where it is first, and most acutely individually, experienced—in school—and expands to other institutions and areas of social life—the family, the workplace, and the local, national, and international spheres, extending the concept of bullying to the global arena to uncover the social and institutional root causes of the extreme forms of bullying such as trafficking, torture, terrorism, and genocide. The book discusses the steps taken to address these issues and analyzes their efficacy. It explores the concept of epigenetics, brain development, childhood experiences, and other psychological factors that contribute to bullying behaviors and predispositions. The book investigates and compares anti-bullying and anti-violence initiatives taken particularly in the U.S, the U.K., and India to address the issue and create community-wide resilience practices. It also describes the current trends in decisions from international, regional, and domestic law, and offers evidence-based policy recommendations to establish a culture of respect for human dignity. An interdisciplinary, intercultural exploration, and analysis of the phenomenon of bullying, this book will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers of psychology, sociology, anthropology, social justice and law, human rights, and cultural studies. It will also be useful for academic libraries, academicians, policy planners, school administration, government officials, and readers interested in reading about bullying.

When people think of terrorism today, they often think of radical Islamic groups committing atrocities against the populace. Although these are horrific events, governments are also capable of actions that equate to terrorism, and they usually have more resources available to do so. The United States has become an imperialistic force by bullying other countries and people and requiring submission to its policies. This book is extremely controversial, but it discusses topics that need to be addressed. If Americans want to keep their liberties and see their country viewed more positively in the world, a change of policies is required.

Self-Esteem expert Jack Canfield and noted educational speaker Miriam Laundry reveal that the biggest bully in a child's world is not lurking around the corner but living inside her head. Words have power. The words others say to us can either lift us as high as the clouds, or drop us down like a crashing plane. But what about the words we tell ourselves? What about that constantly running inner voice? In truth, what we say to ourselves impacts us even more than what others say to us. "Pigtails are for babies!" she snarled at me. Her words hurt more than the time I broke my arm. I quickly untied my hair. I wore my hair down for the rest of the school year. That was the first time I met the Big Bad Bully. . . . She called me names like "fatty," "piglet" and "ugly." Things are worse now that I am in the 6th grade. Even when I don't see her, I can always hear the whispers, the giggles, and the growls. So goes the mesmerizing story of a young girl who grows up with a voice that ridicules and demeans her. In the end, we discover that her tormentor is staring back at her every day in the mirror. Featuring stunning artwork, this small yet profound book is a tool for engaging children, young adolescents, parents, and caring adults about the impressions they make on themselves with their thoughts and self-talk. Included are powerful workbook exercises and resources for implementing healthy self-esteem habits that can last a lifetime.