Dr Niobe Way: Culture, Capitalism and The 'Boy' Question

In this episode of 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Dr Niobe Way, Professor of Developmental Psychology at NYU and author of Rebels with a Cause: Reimagining Boys, Ourselves and Our Culture. Her groundbreaking research has transformed how we understand boys, friendships, and the very human need for connection. In Rebels with a Cause she distils four decades of research to uncover the hidden emotional lives of boys and what their struggles teach us – not only about them, but also about ourselves.

She and Avivah discuss her insights into how our culture’s rigid ‘boy’ culture norms disconnect us from one another, the mental health impacts of this crisis, and her vision for building a more connected, curious, and relational world. Dr Way describes how research shows the strong desire boys have for close friendships, but at the same time how they struggle to maintain them due to cultural pressures, and the "boy culture" that devalues emotional connection. This culture is pervasive globally and impacts young girls as well, contributing to mental health issues and social problems. She and Avivah explore possible ways of addressing the challenges, and how listening with genuine curiosity is key to fostering connection and breaking down stereotypes. Dr Way also suggests that technology could be leveraged to encourage curiosity and meaningful interaction, rather than superficial "likes". She is developing an ‘Agape Teens’ App which gamify’s the practice of curiosity for teenagers, helping to break down stereotypes and foster real connection.

Dr. Niobe Way is a Professor of Developmental Psychology at NYU, the founder of the Project for the Advancement of Our Common Humanity (PACH), co-founder of agapi.teens, and the principal investigator on the Listening with Curiosity Project. Dr. Way was the President of the Society for Research on Adolescence. She has authored nearly a hundred journal articles and numerous books, including Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection (Harvard University Press) and Everyday Courage: The Lives and Stories of Urban Teenagers (NYU Press). She received her B.A. from U.C. Berkeley, her doctoral degree from Harvard, and was an National Institute of Mental Health postdoctoral fellow at Yale in the psychology department.

Some Useful Links:

* Niobe Way’s website

* Review of Rebels with a Cause, The Harvard Gazette

* To buy Rebels with a Cause (UK)

* To buy Rebels with a Cause (USA)