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Antiracism Inc. Why the Way We Talk about Racial Justice Matters

Edited by Felice Blake Paula Ioanide and Alison  Reed

"Antiracism Inc. traces the ways people along the political spectrum appropriate, incorporate, and neutralize antiracist discourses to perpetuate injustice. It also examines the ways organizers continue to struggle for racial justice in the context of such appropriations. Antiracism Inc. reveals how antiracist claims can be used to propagate racism, and what we can do about it. While related to colorblind, multicultural, and diversity discourses, the appropriation of antiracist rhetoric as a strategy for advancing neoliberal and neoconservative agendas is a unique phenomenon that requires careful interrogation and analysis. Those who co-opt antiracist language and practice do not necessarily deny racial difference, biases, or inequalities. Instead, by performing themselves conservatively as non-racists or liberally as ‘authentic’ antiracists, they purport to be aligned with racial justice even while advancing the logics and practices of systemic racism. Antiracism Inc. therefore considers new ways of struggling toward racial justice in a world that constantly steals and misuses radical ideas and practices. The collection focuses on people and methods that do not seek inclusion in the hierarchical order of gendered racial capitalism. Rather, the collection focuses on aggrieved peoples who have always had to negotiate state violence and cultural erasure, but who work to build the worlds they envision. These collectivities seek to transform social structures and establish a new social warrant guided by what W.E.B. Du Bois called “abolition democracy,” a way of being and thinking that privileges people, mutual interdependence, and ecological harmony over individualist self-aggrandizement and profits. These aggrieved collectivities reshape social relations away from the violence and alienation inherent to gendered racial capitalism, and towards the well-being of the commons. Antiracism Inc. articulates methodologies that strive toward freedom dreams without imposing monolithic or authoritative definitions of resistance. Because power seeks to neutralize revolutionary action through incorporation as much as elimination, these freedom dreams, as well as the language used to articulate them, are constantly transformed through the critical and creative interventions stemming from the active engagement in liberation struggles."

Brooklyn, NY: Punctum Books, 2019. 382p.

Post-Digital Cultures of the Far Right: Online Actions and Offline Consequences in Europe and the US

Edited by Maik Fielitz and Nick Thurston

How have digital tools and networks transformed the far rights strategies and transnational prospects? This volume presents a unique critical survey of the online and offline tactics, symbols and platforms that are strategically remixed by contemporary far-right groups in Europe and the US. It features thirteen accessible essays by an international range of expert scholars, policy advisors and activists who offer informed answers to a number of urgent practical and theoretical questions: How and why has the internet emboldened extreme nationalisms? What counter-cultural approaches should civil societies develop in response?How have digital tools and networks transformed the far rights strategies and transnational prospects? This volume presents a unique critical survey of the online and offline tactics, symbols and platforms that are strategically remixed by contemporary far-right groups in Europe and the US. It features thirteen accessible essays by an international range of expert scholars, policy advisors and activists who offer informed answers to a number of urgent practical and theoretical questions: How and why has the internet emboldened extreme nationalisms? What counter-cultural approaches should civil societies develop in response?How have digital tools and networks transformed the far rights strategies and transnational prospects? This volume presents a unique critical survey of the online and offline tactics, symbols and platforms that are strategically remixed by contemporary far-right groups in Europe and the US. It features thirteen accessible essays by an international range of expert scholars, policy advisors and activists who offer informed answers to a number of urgent practical and theoretical questions: How and why has the internet emboldened extreme nationalisms? What counter-cultural approaches should civil societies develop in response?

Bielefeld, Germany:  transcript Verlag, 2019. 210p.

The Right-Wing Critique of Europe: Nationalist, Sovereignist and Right-Wing Populist Attitudes to the EU

 Edited by Joanna Sondel-Cedarmas and Francesco Berti

The Right-Wing Critique of Europe analyses the opposition to the European Union from a variety of right-wing organisations in Western, Central and Eastern Europe. In recent years, opposition to the processes of globalisation and the programme of closer European integration, understood as a threat to the sovereignty of individual member states, has led to an intensification of Eurosceptic sentiments on the Old Continent. The results of the European parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2019, the Brexit referendum and electoral results in different European countries are all testament to the considerable growth of radical populist-nationalist and conservative-sovereignist movements and parties. The common idea that binds these groups, both in Western Europe and in Central and Eastern Europe, is a hostile attitude towards the idea of (an ever-more integrated) united Europe. These parties reject not only the project of building a European federation, but also the current model of the European Union and the values underlying its attitudes. They are united by their criticism of EU policies, in particular those concerning security, emigration, multiculturalism, gender equality and the rights of minorities, as well as economic liberalism and the common currency. However, this criticism manifests itself with varying degrees of intensity, and not all parties fit the classic definition of Euroscepticism but instead represent its mild form, Eurorealism. The authors bring together reflections on the organic and complex critique of the European Union, its policies and cultural and ideological character. The book provides a comparative analysis of this criticism at the transnational level. This book will be of interest to researchers of European politics, the radical right and Euroscepticism.

London; New York: Routledge, 2022. 290p.

The Clash of Civilizations: Remaking of World Order

By Samuel P. Huntington

From the Preface: “In the summer of 1993 the journal Foreign Affairs published an article of mine titled “The Clash of Civilizations?”. That article, according to the Foreign Affairs editors, stirred up more discussion in three years than any other article they had published since the 1940s. It certainly stirred up more debate in three years than anything else I have written. The responses and comments on it have come from every continent and scores of countries. People were variously impressed, intrigued, outraged, frightened, and perplexed by my argument that the central and most dangerous dimension of the emerging global politics would be conflict between groups from differing civilizations. Whatever else it did, the article struck a nerve in people of every civilization.

Given the interest in, misrepresentation of, and controversy over the article, it seemed desirable for me to explore further the issues it raised. One construc­tive way of posing a question is to state an hypothesis. The article, which had a generally ignored question mark in its title, was an effort to do that. This book is intended to provide a fuller, deeper, and more thoroughly documented answer to the articles question…”

NY. Touchstone. 1996. 350p. CONTAINS MARK-UP

Artificial Intelligence Index Report 2023

By Stanford University. Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence

From the document: "Welcome to the sixth edition of the AI [artificial intelligence] Index Report! This year, the report introduces more original data than any previous edition, including a new chapter on AI public opinion, a more thorough technical performance chapter, original analysis about large language and multimodal models, detailed trends in global AI legislation records, a study of the environmental impact of AI systems, and more. The AI Index Report tracks, collates, distills, and visualizes data related to artificial intelligence. Our mission is to provide unbiased, rigorously vetted, broadly sourced data in order for policymakers, researchers, executives, journalists, and the general public to develop a more thorough and nuanced understanding of the complex field of AI. The report aims to be the world's most credible and authoritative source for data and insights about AI."

Stanford University. 2023. 386p.

Antisemitism Worldwide Report for 2022

By Anti-Defamation League

From the document: "The Antisemitism Worldwide Report for 2022 informs of both increases and decreases, some more meaningful than others, in the number of antisemitic incidents in different countries. The United States, where the largest Jewish minority in the world lives, saw a particularly alarming rise in anti-Jewish violence and slander. These data are not encouraging. The record-levels of 2021 were attributed in part to the exceptional social tensions created by the Covid-19 epidemic and the political tensions created by the Guardian of the Walls operation in Gaza. The data for 2022 suggest that the motivations for present-day antisemitism are not transient as some may have hoped. Despite the investment of substantial legal, educational, and political efforts, thousands of antisemitic incidents took place across the globe in 2022, including hundreds of physical assaults. Everyone who cares about human dignity and justice must recognize the need to prevent this reality from becoming normalized."

Tel-Aviv. University. Kantor Center For The Study Of Contemporary European Jewry; 2023. 86p.

Catharsis in Healing, Ritual and Drama

By T.J. Scheff

From the preface: “About nine years ago, after a decade of research on mental hospitals, I became convinced by the flaws I saw in existing programs that any system of treatment would be incomplete if it were based entirely upon professional therapists. Such a system, I thought, would need to be augmented by the development of a large group of lay therapists. These therapists would be trained and supervised by professionals. I had in mind relatively brief, simple training and supervision. My thought was that lay therapists coulddeal with many of the most frequently occurring types of emotional crises. Under these conditions, mental health professionals could be used as specialists, particularly as trainers and supervisors, and as therapists only for complex, difficult, or intractable cases…”

Berkeley. University Of California Press . 1979. 246p. This book contains mark-up

Gill's Journey: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

By Heather Morris

London. Echo Publishing. 2019. 441p.

The novel tells the story of Gill, a young woman who is transported to Auschwitz along with her family. While in the camp, she meets Lale, who becomes her tattooist and develops a romantic relationship with her. The novel follows Gill and Lale's struggles to survive in the harsh conditions of the camp, as well as their efforts to maintain their humanity and hold on to hope in the face of unimaginable suffering.

Through the character of Gill, the novel explores the experiences of women in the concentration camp system, including their vulnerability to sexual violence and exploitation. It also highlights the role of resistance and solidarity among prisoners, as well as the courage and resilience of those who fought for survival and dignity in the face of extreme adversity.

Endeavour: The ship and the attitude that changed the world.

By Peter Moore.

Sydney. Penguin. 2018. 438p.

Moore provides a detailed account of the construction and design of the Endeavour, as well as the scientific instruments and equipment carried on board. He describes Cook's journey to Tahiti to observe the transit of Venus, and his subsequent exploration of the Pacific, including the discovery of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia.

The book also explores the social and cultural dimensions of Cook's voyage, including the encounters between European explorers and the indigenous peoples of the Pacific. Moore discusses the impact of Cook's voyage on European perceptions of the world and the development of scientific knowledge, including the study of botany, astronomy, and geography.

Throughout the book, Moore emphasizes the importance of the Endeavour as a symbol of the scientific and technological advances of the 18th century, and the spirit of curiosity and exploration that drove Cook and his crew. He also discusses the legacy of Cook's voyage and its impact on the history of the Pacific region.

Fall of the Ottomans: The great war in the Middle East

By Eugene Rogan

NY. Basic Books. 2015. 504p.

Rogan begins by describing the state of the Ottoman Empire on the eve of World War I, including its political, economic, and military weaknesses. He then examines the Ottoman Empire's decision to enter the war on the side of Germany, and the subsequent military campaigns in the Middle East, including the battles of Gallipoli, Kut, and Gaza.

The book also explores the political and social consequences of the war in the Middle East, including the emergence of nationalist movements and the rise of new states such as Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Rogan discusses the impact of the war on religious and ethnic minorities in the region, including the Armenians, Assyrians, and Kurds, who suffered greatly during the conflict.

Throughout the book, Rogan emphasizes the complexity of the Middle Eastern theater of World War I, including the diverse range of actors involved and the multiple layers of conflict and rivalry. He also highlights the impact of the war on the wider geopolitical landscape of the region, including the role played by European powers such as Britain and France in shaping the post-war order.

The Great Influenza: The epic story of the deadliest plague in history

By John M. Barry

London.. Penguin. 2005. 554p.

Barry provides a detailed account of the pandemic, including its origins, spread, and impact on various parts of the world. He explores the scientific and medical aspects of the pandemic, including the efforts of doctors and researchers to understand and control the disease.

The book also examines the social and political dimensions of the pandemic, including the ways in which it affected the course of World War I and the response of governments and public health officials to the crisis. Barry discusses the role of media coverage in shaping public perceptions of the pandemic and the response to it.

Throughout the book, Barry emphasizes the human toll of the pandemic, highlighting the stories of individual victims and their families. He also explores the long-term impact of the pandemic on society, including its influence on medical research, public health policy, and the development of the modern healthcare system.

On Pandemics: Deadly diseases from Bubonic Plague to Coronavirus

By Daic Walter-Toews

Carlton Aus. Schwartz Books. 2020. 270p

Waltner-Toews argues that pandemics are not just medical crises, but also social, economic, and political events that have profound effects on human societies. He examines the ways in which pandemics have shaped human history, from the Black Death in the 14th century to the Spanish Flu in the early 20th century.

The book also explores the scientific and medical aspects of pandemics, including the biology of the viruses and bacteria that cause them, as well as the challenges of developing effective treatments and vaccines. Waltner-Toews discusses the role of public health interventions, such as quarantine and social distancing measures, in controlling the spread of pandemics.

In addition, the book examines the social and cultural responses to pandemics, including the ways in which they have been represented in art, literature, and popular culture. Waltner-Toews also explores the political and economic dimensions of pandemics, including the impact of pandemics on trade, travel, and global politics.

Throughout the book, Waltner-Toews emphasizes the need for a One Health approach to pandemics, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. He argues that pandemics are a reminder of the importance of protecting and promoting the health of all living beings, and that we must work together to prevent and control future pandemics.

The Fatal Impact: An account of the invasion of the South Pacific 1767-1840

By Alan Moorehead

London. Penguin. 1966. 289p.

Moorehead argues that the arrival of Europeans had a catastrophic impact on the indigenous peoples of the South Pacific, leading to the destruction of traditional cultures, the loss of land and resources, and widespread disease and violence. He examines the motivations of the European explorers and colonizers, as well as the impact of their actions on the people and societies they encountered.

The book begins with the arrival of the British navigator Samuel Wallis in Tahiti in 1767, and follows the subsequent voyages of other explorers, including James Cook, Jean-Francois de La Perouse, and William Bligh. Moorehead describes how these explorers brought with them new technologies, ideas, and diseases, and how they often saw the indigenous peoples they encountered as primitive and inferior.

Moorehead also explores the impact of European colonization on the South Pacific, focusing on the experiences of the Maori people in New Zealand and the Aborigines in Australia. He describes how these peoples were forced to adapt to a new way of life, and how they often suffered from violence, disease, and displacement as a result of European settlement.

The Tyranny of Distance: How distance shaped Australian history.

By Geoffrey Blainey

Australia. Sun Books. 1966. 206p.

Blainey argues that the tyranny of distance has been a defining characteristic of Australian history, impacting everything from exploration and settlement to politics and economics. He notes that Australia is the most isolated continent on earth, and that its distance from other major world powers has both insulated it from external threats and limited its opportunities for growth and development.

The book traces the history of Australia from its earliest days as a British penal colony to its emergence as a modern, prosperous nation. Blainey examines the challenges that early settlers faced in adapting to a harsh and unfamiliar landscape, as well as the role that transportation and communication technologies played in bridging the vast distances between Australia and the rest of the world.

Blainey also explores how distance has shaped Australian identity and culture, arguing that it has fostered a sense of self-reliance and resilience in the face of adversity. He notes that Australians have often had to rely on their own ingenuity and resourcefulness to overcome the challenges posed by their isolation, and that this has helped to forge a distinct national character.

Overall, "The Tyranny of Distance" is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of how geography has influenced the course of Australian history. It offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities that come with living in a remote and isolated part of the world, and sheds light on the ways in which these factors have shaped Australian society and culture over time.

What happened on the Bounty

By Bengt Danielsson. Trans. Alan Topull

London. Allen and Unwin. 1962. 221p.

In April 1789, the Bounty left Tahiti to begin its journey back to England. However, just a few weeks into the voyage, the crew mutinied against Captain Bligh. The reasons for the mutiny are complex and have been the subject of much debate and speculation over the years. Some have suggested that it was due to Bligh's harsh treatment of the crew, while others have argued that it was a result of tensions between the officers and the lower-ranked crew members.

Regardless of the reasons, the mutiny was successful, and Bligh and a small group of loyal crew members were set adrift in a small boat while the mutineers, led by Fletcher Christian, took control of the ship. Bligh and his companions were eventually rescued after a harrowing journey across thousands of miles of open ocean.

Danielsson's book provides a first-hand account of the events leading up to the mutiny, as well as the aftermath. He describes the tensions between the crew members and the officers, and the growing discontent that eventually boiled over into mutiny. He also offers insights into the culture and customs of the Tahitian people, who were encountered by the crew during their stay on the island.

Overall, "On the Bounty" is a fascinating and engaging account of one of the most famous episodes in maritime history, written by someone who was there to witness it firsthand.

Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

By United States. Public Health Service. Office Of The Surgeon General

From the document: "As this advisory has shown, fulfilling connections are a critical and often underappreciated contributor to individual and population health and longevity, safety, prosperity, and well-being. On the other hand, social disconnection contributes to many poor health outcomes, and even to premature death. Sadly, around 50% of adults in the U.S. reported being lonely in recent years -- and that was even before COVID-19 separated so many of us from our friends, loved ones, and support systems. Our bonds with others and our community are also part of this equation. Research has shown that more connected communities enjoy higher levels of well-being. The converse is also true. How do we put this important information to practical use in our society? What actionable steps can we take to enhance social connection so that we can all enjoy its benefits? A National Strategy to Advance Social Connection is the critical next step to catalyze action essential to our nation's health, safety, and prosperity. The strategy includes six foundational pillars and a series of key recommendations, organized according to stakeholder group, to support a whole-of-society approach to advancing social connection. Individuals and organizations can use this framework to propel the critical work of reversing these worrisome trends and strengthening social connection and community."

United States. Public Health Service. Office of the Surgeon General. 2023.

Racial Innocence: Law, Social Science, and the Unknowing of Racism in the US Carceral State

By Naomi Murakawa

Racial innocence is the practice of securing blamelessness for the death-dealing realities of racial capitalism. This article reviews the legal, social scientific, and reformist mechanisms that maintain the racial innocence of one particular site: the US carceral state. With its routine dehumanization, violence, and stunning levels of racial disparity, the carceral state should be a hard test case for the willful unknowing of obvious devastation. Nonetheless, the law presumes “no racism,” condones racial profiling, and interprets racial disparity in policing and imprisonment as evidence of true racial difference in criminality, not discrimination. Prominent social science research too often mimics these practices, producing research that aids in the collective erasure of racism.

Annu. Rev. Law Soc. Sci. 2019. 15:473–93

Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls

By Mary Pipher

From the Preface: “Reviving Ophelia is my attempt to understand my experiences in therapy with adolescent girls. Many girls come into therapy with seri­ous, even life-threatening problems, such as anorexia or the desire to physically hurt or kill themselves. Others have problems less danger­ous but still more puzzling, such as school refusal, underachievement, moodiness or constant discord with their parents. Many are the vic­tims of sexual violence.” And from a review: “ “With sympathy and focus she cites case histories to illustrate the strug­gles required of adolescent girls to maintain a sense of themselves.... Pipher offers concrete suggestions for ways by which girls can build and maintain a strong sense of self.” Publishers Weekly.

NY. Ballantine. Putnam and Sons. 1994. 288p.

Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide

By United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

From the document: "I am pleased to share the 2023 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide (HMA Guide) as FEMA's updated comprehensive policy handbook to govern mitigation grant programs. This document replaces the 2015 HMA Guidance and HMA Guidance Addendum. Since the last update and publication, many developments have impacted our mitigation grant programs. They include the passage of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018; the rollout of a new hazard mitigation grant program--Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC); significantly increased funding and accessibility to mitigation programs via the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act of 2021; and prioritization of new resilience concepts to accelerate and advance mitigation investment, such as those outlined in the National Mitigation Investment Strategy and FEMA's Building Codes Strategy. [...] FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs provide funding for actions that address risks to and reduce disaster suffering from events like wildfires, drought, extreme heat, hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding. The updated HMA Guide provides helpful information for state, local, tribal and territorial governments seeking to successfully navigate the application and grant lifecycle processes. And with the unprecedented funding that has been made available for mitigation over the past few years, it has never been more important to reduce the barriers to accessing these grant dollars and get them into the right hands for the most impactful mitigation projects."

Washington DC. United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2023. 623p.

National Preparedness Strategy & Action Plan for Near-Earth Object Hazards and Planetary Defense

By United States. White House Office

From the document: "Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids and comets that orbit the Sun but have orbits that can bring them into Earth's neighborhood--within 30 million miles of Earth's orbit. Planetary defense encompasses all the capabilities needed to detect and warn of potential 10-meter and larger NEO impacts with Earth, and to either prevent such an event or mitigate the possible effects of an impact. This 'National Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan for Near-Earth Object Hazards and Planetary Defense' (2023 Planetary Defense Strategy) updates the United States' first comprehensive Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan, released in 2018. The 2023 Planetary Defense Strategy builds on existing efforts by Federal Departments and Agencies to address the hazard of NEO impacts, includes evaluation of where progress has been made since 2018, and focuses future work on planetary defense across the U.S. government."

Washington DC. United States. White House Office. 2023. 38p.