Book Selections

"Adversity comes in many forms, and can make us feel alone in our pain, even years after the fact. But as wellness coach and licensed therapist Minaa B. observes, we can't heal in isolation. The best way to move past individual trauma is through connection and community-healing ourselves and one another. In this powerful and practical guide, Minaa shares therapeutic tools, client stories, and actionable insights to help you on your healing journey, along with reflections from her personal experiences. Each chapter focuses on a common emotional struggle-from overcoming dysfunctional family patterns to developing emotional maturity, finding our village, navigating racial trauma, and moving past isolation and despair. Through her unique mix of deeply honest personal stories, proven practices, and prompts for writing and reflection, Minaa helps readers finally face their struggles, get unstuck, and transform their thinking-to claim agency in their own lives and circumstances, and to use that power to help heal a broken world"--

Become Ungovernable is a provocative new work of political thought setting out to reclaim "freedom", "justice", and "democracy", revolutionary ideas that are all too often warped in the interests of capital and the state. Revealing the mirage of mainstream democratic thought and the false promises of liberal political ideologies, H.L.T. Quan offers an alternative approach: an abolition feminism drawing on a kaleidoscope of refusal praxes, and on a deep engagement with the Black Radical Tradition and queer analytics. With each chapter anchored by episodes from the long history of resistance and rebellions against tyranny, Quan calls for us to take up a feminist ethic of living rooted in the principles of radical inclusion, mutuality and friendship as part of the larger toolkit for confronting fascism, white supremacy, and the neoliberal labor regime.

"Ethical, pondering, and wondrous, adrienne maree brown's Loving Corrections is a collection of love-based adjustments and reframes to grow our movements for liberation while navigating a society deeply fractured by greed, racism, and war. In this landmark book, brown invigorates her influential writing on belonging and accountability into the framework of "loving corrections": a generative space where rehearsals for the revolution become the everyday norm in relating to one another. Filled with practical wisdom on how to be a trustworthy communicator while providing bold visions for a shared future, Loving Corrections can speak to everyone caught in the crossroads of our political challenges and potential. No matter how new to the struggle, or how numerous our failures, brown's indispensable writing is an invitation to us all."--

October 4 -National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) by CalgaryLibrary_Indigenous - a staff-created list : In Canada, Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people are murdered, abused, or disappear at shockingly high rates. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls concluded that this violence is rooted in colonization. Whether you are personally affected by this crisis and are looking for stories of healing and empowerment, or you want to become an ally by learning more about the devastating epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada, these resources can be a source of information, reflection, action, resilience, and hope.

BostonPL_We Are Pride 2024: 75 Books for Children, Teens & Adults by BostonPL_WeArePrideBooklist - a staff-created list : We Are Pride is a list of books published in the previous year for all ages concerning the diverse experience of the LGBTQ+ community. This printing is part of the Boston Public Library's annual observance of LGBTQ+ Pride Month since 2017. These titles may be available in other formats or languages. Check the catalog for availability. 2024 We Are Pride Committee Members: Jordan D. (she/they), We Are Pride Chairperson, Reader Services Specialist Allison H. (she/her), Children's Librarian Amy L. (she/her), Generalist Librarian Ayelet R. (she/her), Generalist Librarian Casey A., Generalist Librarian Dani C. (they/them), Children's Librarian Elise C. (she/her), Generalist Librarian Laura B. (she/her), Collection Librarian Michael B. (he/they), Workforce Development Librarian Morgan H. (they/them), Youth Services Librarian Nikki K. (she/they), Floater Librarian #BPLWeArePride #BPLPride

"Courage in the People's House tells the gripping stories of nine individuals who served in the US House of Representatives--the "People's House"--During a span of over one hundred years, from the 1870s to the 1990s. From the first African American to serve in the House, to immigrants elected at the dawn of the 20th century, all were trailblazers who made significant contributions to the country"--

Looking for something fun or interesting to read over winter break? Why not try a book recommendation from a fellow member of the Northwestern Law community, including several librarians at the PLR…

Not all libraries track checkouts, and there isn't one definitive national list. But this year lots of people checked out Lessons in Chemistry, Prince Harry's memoir Spare, and Colleen Hoover's books.

For the introvert, the law library part and journal part of law school may sound great, but the Socratic method part and the networking part might sound terrible. If you are the bold introvert that has decided to embark on the law school journey, here is a reading list to support you, motivate you, and give you hope.

"How a national grassroots network fought a resurgence of the KKK and other fascist groups during the Reagan years, and how it laid the groundwork for today's anti-fascist/anti-racist movements."--

"Grounded in the lives of some of its most committed nonviolent activists, Incarcerated Resistance tells a story of anti-war resistance, what it means to "go to jail for justice" in the contemporary United States, and shows how identity matters in both the activation of prison witness, and as a key shaper of individual experience"--

We owe it to our fellow humans - and other species - to save them from the catastrophic harm caused by climate change. Philosopher Elizabeth Cripps approaches climate justice not just as an abstract idea but as something that should motivate us all. Using clear reasoning and poignant examples, starting from irrefutable science and uncontroversial moral rules, she explores our obligations to each other and to the non-human world, unravels the legacy of colonialism and entrenched racism, and makes the case for immediate action. The second half of the book looks at solutions. Who should pay the bill for climate action? Who must have a say? How can we hold multinational companies, organisations - even nations - to account? Cripps argues powerfully that climate justice goes beyond political polarization. Climate activism is a moral duty, not a political choice.

In response disparate groups quickly came together to organize against white nationalist violence and right-wing organizing throughout the Rose City and the Pacific Northwest. It Did Happen Here compiles interviews with dozens of people who worked together during the waning decades of the twentieth century to reveal an inspiring collaboration between groups of immigrants, civil rights activists, militant youth, and queer organizers. This oral history focuses on participants in three core groups: the Portland chapters of Anti-Racist Action and Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice, and the Coalition for Human Dignity. Using a diversity of tactics—from out-and-out brawls on the streets and at punk shows, to behind-the-scenes intelligence gathering—brave antiracists unified on their home ground over and over, directly attacking right-wing fascists and exposing white nationalist organizations and neo-Nazi skinheads. Embattled by police and unsupported by the city, these citizen activists eventually drove the boneheads out of the music scene and off the streets of Portland. This book shares their stories about what worked, what didn’t, and ideas on how to continue the fight.

Reading List Accardi, Maria T., Emily Drabinski, and Alana Kumbier. "Beginning and extending the conversation." Communications in Information Literacy 14, no. 1 (2020): 1. ———Critical Library Instruction : Theories and Methods / Edited by Maria T. Accardi, Emily Drabinski, and Alana Kumbier....

"Our focus is on trauma as it impacts and applies to lawyers and clients in practice, legal education, courts and judges, and the legal system and profession as a whole. This book gives voice to only some of the many traumatic experiences that arise in all aspects of law. Unless we hear these voices, we cannot begin to address the many legal, ethical, moral, educational, juridical systems or other issues they raise even where we have tools to do so. The pursuit of justice means voices of trauma in the legal system deserve to be heard, individually and collectively, even when it's difficult to listen"--

A list of reading about and for activism within academic institutions, from NYU Press.

Verso Books is the largest independent, radical publishing house in the English-speaking world, publishing one hundred books a year.

The Premier Online Bookstore for Bestselling and Classic African American Books.

"In the post-World War II period, students rebelled against the archaic university. In student-led movements, they fought for the new kinds of public the university needed to serve--women, minorities, immigrants, indigenous people, and more--with a success that had a profound impact on the intellectual landscape of the twentieth century. Because of their efforts, ethnic studies, women's studies, and American studies were born, and minority communities have become more visible and important to academic debate. Less than fifty years since this pivotal shift in the academy, however, the university is fighting back. In We Demand, Roderick A. Ferguson shows how the university, particularly the public university, is moving away from "the people" in all their diversity. As more resources are put toward STEM education, humanities and interdisciplinary programs are being cut and shuttered. This has had a devastating effect on the pursuit of knowledge, and on interdisciplinary programs born from the hard work and effort of an earlier generation. This is not only a reactionary move against the social advances since the '60s and '70s, but part of the larger threat of anti-intellectualism in the United States."--Provided by publisher.

In this compelling book, distinguished activist lawyer Francis Boyle sounds an impassioned clarion call to citizen action against Bush administration policies both domestic and international. Boyle, who has spent his career defending civil resisters, offers the only guide available on how to use international law, constitutional law, and the laws of war to defend peaceful non-violent protesters against governmental policies that are illegal and criminal. He focuses especially on the aftermath of 9/11 and the implications of the war on Afghanistan, the war on terrorism, the war on Iraq, the doc

"How can we build a better world? And why do so many people with privilege end up making things worse when they try to help? It's called the savior mentality, and Jordan Flaherty finds it in FBI informants, anti-sex-work crusaders, Teach For America corps members, and out-of-touch journalists. No More Heroes celebrates grassroots challenges to these saviors and highlights movements focused on real, systemic change from the Arab Spring to Black Lives Matter." -- Publisher's description

Since the civil rights era, the doctrine of nonviolence has enjoyed near-universal acceptance by the US Left. Today protest is often shaped by cooperation with state authorities-even organizers of rallies against police brutality apply for police permits, and anti-imperialists usually stop short of supporting self-defense and armed resistance. How Nonviolence Protects the State challenges the belief that nonviolence is the only way to fight for a better world. In a call bound to stir controversy and lively debate, Peter Gelderloos invites activists to consider diverse tactics, passionately arguing that exclusive nonviolence often acts to reinforce the same structures of oppression that activists seek to overthrow. Contemporary movements for social change face plenty of difficult questions, but sometimes matters of strategy and tactics receive low priority. Many North American activists fail to scrutinize the role of nonviolence, never posing essential questions: Is nonviolence effective at ending systems of oppression? Does nonviolence intersect with white privilege and the dominance of North over South? How does pacifism reinforce the same power dynamic as patriarchy? Ultimately, does nonviolence protect the state? Peter Gelderloos is a radical community organizer. He is the author of Consensus: A New Handbook for Grassroots Political, Social, and Environmental Groups and a contributor to Letters From Young Activists. He is the co-facilitator of a workshop on the prison system, and is also involved in independent media, copwatching, anti-oppression work, and anarchist organizing.

Flash mobs-whether as a fun and irreverent group activity or advertising/promotional pitch-present a need for organizers to be aware of the legal issues they may encounter. This, the first book of its kind to discuss the legal side of flash mobs, presents the reader with everything he or she needs to know about where the law stands on all issues related to the planning and execution of flash mobs, including: - Legal implications of planning flash mobs - Protecting participants and bystanders - Confrontations by authorities - Using flash mobs as an effective marketing tool, and numerous case studies Flash mobs are meant to be fun and solely for the entertainment of the participants and their unsuspecting audience, but the legal side of flash mobs must always be considered. This ground-breaking book is a must-read for anyone involved in the creation, promotion, and execution of flash mobs.

"The book provides robust historic, cultural, and social context for social justice work, assists readers in managing the discomfort that often accompanies raised consciousness, and offer step-by-step instructions for initiating social justice campaigns and projects. The text examines the history of liberal activism in the United States, various types of activism, significant social movements, the art of dialoguing through disagreement, the importance of leadership and the risks and rewards associated with activism. An extensive list of causes is provided, along with strategies for getting involved, empowering readers to identify causes that are important to them and to take action"--Back cover.

"A celebration of the revolutionary change Amy and David Goodman have witnessed during the two decades of their acclaimed television and radio news program Democracy Now! and how small individual acts from progressive heroes have produced lasting results. In 1996 Amy Goodman began hosting a show called Democracy Now! to focus on the issues and movements that are too often ignored by the corporate media. Today it is the largest public media collaboration in the US. This important book looks back over the past twenty years of Democracy Now! and the powerful movements and charismatic leaders who are re-shaping our world. Goodman takes us along as she goes to where the silence is, bringing out voices from the streets of Ferguson to Staten Island, Wall Street, and South Carolina to East Timorand other places where people are rising up to demand justice. Giving voice to those who have been forgotten, forsaken, and beaten down by the powerful, Democracy Now! pays tribute to those progressive heroes--the whistleblowers, the organizers, the protesters--who have brought about remarkable, often invisible change over the last couple of decades in seismic ways. This is 'an impassioned book aiming to fuel informed participation, outrage, and dissent' (Kirkus Reviews)."

"Critical Thinking presents, defines and explains the intellectual skills and habits of mind that comprise critical thinking and its relationship to social justice. Each of the sequential chapters includes detailed examples and learning exercises that guide the reader step by step from intellectual competency, to critical thinking, to cultural cognition, and to critical awareness necessary for social justice. The book documents and explains the scope of multiple crises facing society today, including environmental destruction, income and wealth inequality, large-scale human migration, and the rise of autocratic governments. It shows how critical thinking, cultural cognition, and critical awareness lead to the possibility of solutions grounded in social justice. All college students, especially those in the social sciences and humanities, will develop the intellectual skills necessary for critically engaging information in order to become active learners and effective agents in the world. This book complements information in introductory, interdisciplinary, or discipline-specific courses. Every chapter contains examples and exercises that can be assigned as homework, adopted as in-class activities, or both. The Conclusion also contains exercises for developing writing and basic mathematical competency skills"--

"This handbook shares perspectives of experts on what is needed to accelerate recovery of natural and man-made disaster"--

"In the late twentieth century United States, nothing united union members, Chicanos, gay men and lesbians, feminists, black activists, and progressive college students quite so well as Coors beer. Members of these communities came together not in praise of the ice cold beverage but, rather, to unite against a common enemy: the Colorado-based Coors Brewing Company. Wielding the consumer boycott as their weapon of choice, activists targeted Coors for allegations of antiunionism, discrimination, and ties to prominent political conservatives. Over multiple decades of organizing and coalition-building, anti-Coors activists molded the boycott tool into a means of political protest. In Brewing a Boycott, Allyson P. Brantley details the history of this boycott movement - one of the longest such campaigns in U.S. history - for the first time. Drawing from an array of archival collections, as well as oral history interviews with long-time boycotters, Brantley offers a compelling, grassroots view of boycotting, anti-corporate organizing, and the unlikely coalitions that formed in opposition to the iconic Rocky Mountain brew. The story of this boycott, as told here, highlights the vibrancy of activism in the final decades of the twentieth century and the enduring legacy of that organizing for communities, consumer activists, and corporations today"--

On Monday, May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard, called onto the Kent State University campus to quell antiwar demonstrations, fired 61 rounds into a group of students protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and Guard presence on campus.  Thirteen seconds later, four students lay dead and nine were wounded. After decades of controversy surrounding the May 4 commemoration, the University moved in a new direction, choosing to use the 30th anniversary as an opportunity to recognize the past and embrace the future. A major component of this was the establishment of an annual scholarly symposium to focus on the great issues of American democracy. The Boundaries of Freedom of Expression and Order in American Democracy is the product of the first symposium, which explored the limits of freedom of expression in American society as they apply to business, education, media, law, politics, the Internet, and other venues. The contributions to this book represent an impressive range of incisive analyses and commentary by leading First Amendment scholars, including the symposium's keynote speakers: Kathleen Sullivan, Dean of Stanford Law School; Anthony Lewis, two-time Pulitzer Prizewinning columnist of the New York Times and the author of two major First Amendment books; and Cass Sunstein, Karl N. Llewellyn, Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Chicago Law School.