Reading List for the Revolution
Contributed to by faculty and staff at The New School
“By all means, read something. That is oppositional in and of itself.” These simple, semi-stunning words of advice from the tumblr account Reading List for the Revolution are a welcome mandate in our current political climate. While the pressure to mobilize is on—it is, most certainly, a critical pressure—sometimes the most productive activism comes from arming oneself with reading: historical, critical, sociological, and political texts to understand; works of art to contextualize and heal. Here is a list from some faculty and staff at The New School to add to your bell hooks:
Recommended by Alexandra Délano Alonso, Assistant Professor of Global Studies and the current holder of the Eugene M. Lang Professorship for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring:
Another Politics by Chris Dixon
Life As Politics: How Ordinary People Change the Middle East, by Asef Bayat.
You can follow Alexandra on Twitter @ale_delano. She also recently wrote “An Open Letter to Donald Trump on U.S.-Mexican Ties for The Huffington Post.
Recommended by Mark Statman, poet, translator, and former Literary Studies Faculty member at Eugene Lang College:
The Long Haul: An Autobiography by Myles Horton
Mark also recommends, “…and poetry. Lots and lots of poetry.” You can follow him on Twitter @statmanm.
Recommended by Jóse Ygnacio, activist and current Program Administrator at Parsons School of Design:
Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
Swing Time by Zadie Smith
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
You can follow Jóse on Twitter @JDejesusgil.
Recommended by Darrick Hamilton, Associate Professor of Economics & Policy, Director of PhD Program in Policy at The New School:
“Anything written by Frantz Omar Fanon.”
You can follow Darrick on Twitter @DarrickHamilton.
Recommended by Raz Godelnik, Professor of Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design:
Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Businessby Rana Foroohar
You can follow Raz on Twitter@godelnik.
Recommended by Claire Potter, Professor of History at The New School:
Liberty’s Prisoners: Carceral Culture in Early America by Jen Manion
You can follow Claire on Twitter@TenuredRadical.
Recommended by Natalia M. Petrzela, Professor of History at The New School and co-host of the Past Present Podcast:
The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education by Diane Ravitch
You can follow Natalia on Twitter@nataliapetrzela.
Recommended by David Carroll, associate professor of media design and Director of the MFA Design and Technology graduate program at Parsons School of Design.
Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus by Douglas Rushkoff
You can follow David on Twitter @profcarroll.
