Toxic Masculinity: An Outcome of Colonialism and its Effects on the Latinx/Chicanx LGBTQ+ Community

This research examines masculinity in the Latinx community within the U.S. Much of the theory behind masculinity involves discussing toxic masculinity and machismo. To do this, I look at film, poetry, and literature to discuss how toxic masculinity affects Queer Latinxs. Although this research focuses on fictional characters and the analysis of fictional works, these characters’ stories do not fall far from current LGBTQ+ Latinxs who may be experiencing the same issues. I examine La Mission, Mosquita y Mari, Gun Hill Road, “I am Joaquin,” “La Loca de la Raza Cosmica,” Rain God, and What Night Brings. These pieces work well with one another to show how gay Latino men, Latina lesbian women, and transgender Latina women are affected by toxic masculinity, internalized homophobia and transphobia. With this research I hope to show how the way we construct masculinity as a society, should be reconfigured to something more positive; I also hope to eliminate homophobia and transphobia, as well as violence and hate crimes towards the LGBTQ+ community

Student-Faculty Partnership: The European Framework and the Experience of the Italian Project Employability & Competences.

The article describes the European Framework for Improving Quality of Teaching in Europe and the research carried our at Italian University to explore the student voices in higher education

Young women in transition : from offending to desistance

The fact that offending behaviour is primarily the preserve of youth has challenged criminologists for the best part of a century to date and will no doubt continue to do so. Burt's (1925) medical-psychological study initiated a wave of positivist research that made young people 'the hapless population upon which much of the emphasis of 'scientific criminology' and 'administrative criminology' was to come to rest' (quoted in Brown: 2005: 29). Children and young people have been set apart from adults by dint of their age and status rather than their capacities and competences (Archard, 1993; Franklin, 2002). There are special measures in place to protect them from harm (whether this be self-inflicted or imposed by others), they are herded into institutionalised educational establishments from the age of five purportedly to improve their life chances, and they can be denied access to opportunities afforded 'adults' in mainstream society until they are well into their twenties. They are the main focus of criminal enquiry and their behaviour is often seen as abnormal, rebellious or pathological rather than a manifestation of the power imbalances inherent in society. This chapter argues, however, that young people strive towards conventionality and integration (MacDonald, 1997; Williamson, 1995), albeit often held back by the attitudes and practices of adults which can be both discriminating and disempowering (Barry, 2005)