Social Science/ Social Issues - and the hope for social justice

"Seldom in our times have we felt a greater need for the humanitarian spirit than now, with the rising voices of fear and distrust becoming more commonplace, anger and hatred competing with love and compassion. It is more crucial than ever to champion the basic principles of human welfare." - Alex Lifeson

I admit, though not with any pride, that I'm one of those people who tend to avoid the news. I've been known to recoil from the spread pages of a newspaper; sometimes I raise my shoulders like a barrier when I hear something disturbing. I'm not advocating ignorance or burying one's head in the sand - and I do agree with Mr. Lifeson, above, that we need more compassion and understanding now more than ever - but I sometimes feel that the task before us is crushing and I'm not sure where I can make an impact. This year, I'm making a more conscious effort to know more about what's happening about me. I always try to be an advocate in my classroom -- but I can work to be better informed, too! The following titles are a small step toward that goal. 

I was first drawn to this book because it's about dogs. I'm a cat person myself, but I love books about creatures of any kind (even the spiders I fear!). As I read, I was astounded by the dedication of the women and men who volunteer to be trained alongside their animals. Their training is rigorous beyond belief (they rappel down buildings!), they search in rough and dangerous terrain -- and sometimes what they find is heartbreaking. While I hope that I'm never in a situation that merits the attention and service of these dedicated folks, I'm grateful for the sacrifices they make!

I took several seminars about race during graduate school, but I still feel out of my element when I try to discuss it. Maybe this is the product of growing up in a place that is so predominately white and attending schools that were less than diverse. When my lack of knowledge started to bother me, I began to look for "essential" titles about race and this work topped several lists. As heartbreaking as the book was (especially for someone involved in higher education) I'm grateful I kept reading. It introduced me to struggles that I've never faced and made me think about living conditions in my own country that are utterly foreign to me. I do have a single qualm, though. I felt tricked when late in the work the narrator illuminated his relationship with Peace. Maybe this is wrong on my part, but I wondered if (on some level) Hobbs exploited this tragedy to further his writing career. Maybe I'm being hideously cynical, but I wish the relationship had either been clear from the first page or left out of the narrative entirely.

Of the three books in this entry, this one was simultaneously the easiest to read (it's pacing kept drawing me in) and the most difficult to read (because of the issues involved). I found myself staggered by the statistics that so few rapes are prosecuted - and that even fewer result in significant punishment. I  thought that the book was very balanced when it came to the issues swirling around the campus itself (privileges accorded to student-athletes, party culture); I think this title should be taught in first semester seminars.

I regret that we live in a world where such investigative journalism is essential, but I'm glad that there are writers in the trenches, working to get the word out!