“Among the explanations posited for child sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy is the notion that abusers constitute a few ‘bad apples’ in an otherwise healthy orchard. In writing Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church: Gender, Power, and Organizational Culture, Marie Keenan defies such simplistic logic by introducing a complex, multilayered, and multidisciplinary analysis of just how and why clergy sexually offend. The book is a well researched and substantial contribution to a more holistic understanding of abuse, institutions, and the social construction of masculinities.”

….So begins my review of Marie Keenan’s new book in the current issue of Sociology of Religion. Access the full review here. Purchase Keenan’s book (a worthwhile read) here.