The prevalence and fear of gender based violence really cannot be overstated. The statistics and stories and experiences invade our lives, we encounter it in the news, fiction and non-fiction. For every story we read we raise our guard, we feel more afraid. And on the other side of this fear is male violence. Kopano Ratele suggests that one of the causal factors, and one of the sites of intervention, is lovelessness, or love hunger. So today’s episode is about loving men - the act of loving men and the risks inherent in that, and about men who are loving, and how that can be nurtured. We speak to Professor Kopano Ratele, who wrote the excellent book, ‘Why Men Hurt Women: Love, Violence and Masculinity’, and get book recommendations from Kneo Mokgopa for books that offer insight into or reimaginings of masculinity.

Kneo recommends 'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates and 'The Will to Change' by bell hooks. Vasti recommends 'Robert' by Robert Hamblin and 'The Wanderers' by Mphutumi Ntabeni - both of whom have been on the podcast before. Listen to the episode with Robert here and with Mpush here. Find these books at The Book Lounge!

Kneo's article in the Daily Maverick can be found here.

This season was made possible by a grant from the National Arts Council.

Vasti Calitz is the host and executive producer of A Readers' Community. Also on our team is our producer and editor, Andri Burnett, and our assistant producer and research assistant, Kelly-Eve Koopman, and assistant editor Simone Rademeyer.