Why Young Men

Across the world, we see an explosion of unpredictable violence committed by alienated young men.

Jamil Javani recounts his experiences working as an activist throughout North America and the Middle East, and draws striking parallels between ISIS recruits, gangbangers, and neo-Nazis in the West. Since narrowly escaping a descent into crime and gang violence in his native Toronto, Jivani has devoted his life to helping other at-risk youths avoid this fate in cities across North America. After the Paris terrorist attacks of 2016, he travelled to Europe and the Middle East to assist Muslim community outreach groups focused on deterring ISIS recruitment.

Why Young Men traces Jivani’s education as an activist fighting one of today’s most dangerous and intractable problems: acts of violence by angry young men. Jivani relates his personal story, his work with disenfranchised people of colour in North America and at risk youth in the Middle East and Africa, and his experiences with the white working class. He profiles a diverse array of young men - and those trying to help them - drawing parallels between these groups, refuting the popular belief that they are radically different from each other, and offering concrete steps towards countering this global trend.

“Powerfully moving … Why Young Men is a brilliant exploration of race, class, hopelessness, and why all too many young men turn to radicalization and violence.” – AMY CHUA, author of BATTLE HYMN OF THE TIGER MOTHER