Guns in American Society [2 Volumes]: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and the Law

What lies behind our 200-year-old fascination with firearms and our ambivalence toward gun control? Our gun laws are among the weakest in the developed world, and any attempt to regulate gun ownership is met with formidable resistance. Guns in American Society provides a comprehensive, unbiased look at the controversial issue of guns and gun violence in the United States. In the only major reference on the subject that is not decidedly pro- or anti-gun, the 82 expert contributors probe such complex topics as: Is there a ling between weak gun control and high gun violence? Is todayʼs gun violence inevitable given our violent history? Does gun violence in the media cause violent behavior? Does the Second Amendment make strict gun control nearly impossible? Aside form brief intervals in the wake of tragedy, do Americans really want gun control? Guns in American Society gets beyond the emotionally charged rhetoric and partisan politics surrounding gun issues to make a clear-eyed examination of the facts about firearms and their impact on American society. With more than 500 entries and 4 data-rich appendixes, it is an essential information source for anyone thinking about guns, no matter where they stand on the issues.