The Company He Keeps

Nicholas L. Syrett is professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies at the University of Kansas and author of The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities and American Child Bride: A History of Minors and Marriage in the United States​.
For more information about Nicholas L. Syrett, visit the Author Page.

"Careful, convincing, and well grounded in many primary sources. . . . Highly readable."--History News Network

"The first [history of white fraternities in America] of its kind."--Greeley Tribune

"There is a lot to learn from its pages; what is so rewarding about the text is its speculations about the advance--and possibly the decline--of American culture that it provokes. The more deeply Syrett probes, the more one wonders: what is our world coming to?"--American Historical Review

"Provides the first historical study that charts the growth of fraternities in the United States. He uses this dazzling assortment of evidence in order to evaluate how white men's ideas and enactment of, what he calls, 'fraternal masculinity,' changed over time. . . . Brilliantly articulates how this notion of masculinity changed and when it changed."--Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender History

"What makes this work stand out among studies of fraternity culture is the evolving definition of masculinity that serves as the conceptual lens for this book. . . . This is a fascinating perspective and offers college educators an insight into how the fraternity men on our campuses today may see themselves."--Journal of College Student Development

"Six crisp, deeply researched chapters trace changes from the ideals of brotherhood and genteel manliness that gave birth to fraternities to those of masculinity linked to athleticism, sexual prowess, and the like that appeared by 2000. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice

Read: In response to video of racist chants by fraternity members in Oklahoma, Syrett writes at the Daily Beast. Read "Why Racists Find a Home in Frats." (3/11/15)