Reading plans around academic activism
One of the book 'clusters' I want to get into this year is around academic activism. There can be a tension here, in some quarters at least, about academics having any kind of opinion. That's particularly the case where the underlying epistemological position tends to be of the die-hard positivist type. Everything has to be quantifiable and objective and adopting any kind of political position would be regarded as heresy.
That's not for me.
Which is not to say that I don't value high quality quantitative research, it's just that I think there other approaches that are needed to illuminate the lived experience and to influence practice and policy. And, generally, the suggestion that people are some kind of super-neutral arbiters of reality is for the birds.
I am not after topic specific books here so much as more general ones. For instance, books like Limitarianism by Ingrid Robeyns and Revolting Prostitutes by Molly Smith and Juno Mac are superb examples of academic activism. I'm looking for a dash of inspiration and a soupçon of guidance.
Anyhoo, here is the shortlist of books I have identified as possibles:
- Citizen Scholar: Public Engagement for Social Scientists by Philip N. Cohen (close to what I am after)
- Make Trouble by Cecile Richards (not sure this is right at all - but one I want to read anyway)
- Blueprint for Revolution by Srdja Popovic (more about social activism generally)
- The Doctor-Activist. Physicians Fighting for Social Change by Ellen L. Bassuk (published in '96 and might be rather dated)
- Health Activism by Glenn Laverack (looks promising if rather textbook-y)
- The Activist Academic by Colette N. Cann and Eric J. DeMeulenaere (possibly...)
- Reimagining Academic Activism by Ruth Weatherall (certainly seems to meet my brief)
Let me know if you have any suggestions - please do email.