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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Edited by Muhammad, Khalil Gibran, Bruce Western, Yamrot Negussie, and Emily Backes, eds.

Reducing Racial Inequality in Crime and Justice: Science, Practice, and Policy synthesizes the evidence on community-based solutions, noncriminal policy interventions, and criminal justice reforms, charting a path toward the reduction of racial inequalities by minimizing harm in ways that also improve community safety. Reversing the effects of structural racism and severing the close connections between racial inequality, criminal harms such as violence, and criminal justice involvement will involve fostering local innovation and evaluation, and coordinating local initiatives with state and federal leadership. This report also highlights the challenge of creating an accurate, national picture of racial inequality in crime and justice: there is a lack of consistent, reliable data, as well as data transparency and accountability. While the available data points toward trends that Black, Latino, and Native American individuals are overrepresented in the criminal justice system and given more severe punishments compared to White individuals, opportunities for improving research should be explored to better inform decision-making.

Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2022.

By Terrence W. Deacon.

From Chapter 1: An Evolutionary Anomaly. “As our species designation--sapiens-suggests, the defining attribute of human beings is an unparalleled cognitive ability. We think differtently from all other creatures on earth, and we can share those thoughts with one another in ways that no other species even approaches. In comparison, the rest of our biology is almost incidental. Hundreds of millions of years of evolution have produced hundreds of thousands of species with brains, and tens of thousands with complex behavioral, perceptual, and learning abilities. Only one of these has ever wondered about its place in the world, because only one evolved the ability to do so….”

NY. W.W.Norton.1997. 5128p.

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.

By R.R. Dunlea, Besiki Luka Kutateladze. Melba Pearson. Don Stemen and Lin Liu (Prosecutorial Performance Indicators)

This report measures the scope and magnitude of racial and ethnic disparities in prosecutorial outcomes in the Broward State Attorney’s Office, Florida, during 2021. The data suggest that, compared to Hispanic and White defendants, Black defendants are: • Least likely to have their case filed for prosecution, especially for felony charges; • Most likely to have their top charge reduced in severity at filing, as well as increased in severity; • Most likely to have their case dismissed, whether charged with a felony or a misdemeanor; • Least likely to have their felony charge reduced after filing; and • Most likely to receive custodial and time-served-only sentences upon conviction, as compared to non-custodial sentences. • Especially more likely to receive custodial sentences than White defendants in negotiated pleas, as compared to open pleas. Compared to similarly situated Black and White defendants, Hispanic defendants are: • Least likely to experience charge changes at filing; • Most likely to have their case pursued for prosecution; • Most likely to have their felony charges reduced at disposition; and • Least likely to receive jail and prison sentences upon conviction.

Miami: Florida International University, 2022. 27p.

By JustLeadership USA and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA)

JustLeadership USA and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) released a new report, Building the Table: Advancing Race Equity in the Criminal Legal System, which provides a historic roadmap of strategies to advance race equity in the criminal legal system.

The report’s findings are the result of an unprecedented convening between representatives from all components of the justice system alongside community members, in particular those with lived experience, their families, and survivors of crime. This collaboration builds a foundation for policies that will successfully advance race equity, improve our approach to justice, and promote community safety and well-being.

“As people who are directly impacted and hurt by the criminal legal system, it is extremely important that our voices and leadership are a core part of any transformation that impacts our lives and those of our communities,” said DeAnna Hoskins, president and CEO of JustLeadershipUSA. “True authentic engagement is more than seeking our support at the end of systematic redesign, it occurs when the concepts of reimagining are led by those most affected, because our experience is our expertise. Our leadership as we ‘Build the Table’ is critical to advancing race equity and improving the system’s capacity to administer justice and promote community safety and well-being.”

This report and initiative were made possible through the support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the efforts of those who volunteered their time and insights to produce this document.

“As we strive to advance racial and ethnic equity in the criminal justice system, it is critical that we elevate the leadership role of people with lived experience to ensure that their first-hand perspectives shape the creation of effective and meaningful solutions,” said Laurie Garduque, director of criminal justice at the MacArthur Foundation. “This report offers a framework for communities looking to advance community safety and wellbeing, and it starts with authentic community engagement and acknowledging the expertise of people with lived experience.”

This report is intended to equip federal, state and local legal system stakeholders to pursue new approaches to building stronger relationships with communities and the broader legal system. This consensus contains a unified statement of principles, policies and practical guidance to advance race equity in the criminal legal system, as well as recent real-world examples of policies and practices implemented by a variety of system stakeholders and community organizations throughout the country.

Washington, DC: Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, 2023. 27p.

By Mari McGilton and Sabrina Rizk

Pressure to identify and reduce disparities through policy has risen in recent years, but these priorities are neither new nor easily achieved. Most studies of these disparities are siloed from each other and are limited to a single outcome measure, comparison group, and/or comparison time point, meaning policymakers end up relying on incomplete information to make critical decisions. This is especially true for federal and state sentencing decision-makers, who are bound by policies made across multiple agencies. Federal sentencing decision-makers specifically are driven by US attorney general directives, legislative policies, Supreme Court rulings, and amendments to the US federal sentencing guidelines. These policies affect several decision-makers at different stages in the federal sentencing process (e.g., attorneys’ application of mandatory minimum statutes, federal probation officers’ determination of final offense level, federal judges’ sentencing decisions). Most studies on disparities at the federal sentencing stage of the criminal legal system investigate only racial disparities in sentencing decisions, such as in/out decisions (i.e., prison/no prison), and/or sentence lengths, and evaluate changes in these disparities based on predetermined points in time from predetermined policies assumed to have impacted those changes. Although these studies provide critical information on disparities in federal sentencing, we could expand our knowledge and the methods used. Funded by the National Institute of Justice, we sought to answer three key research questions: 1. Do racial disparities vary across three stages of federal sentencing and over time? If so, how? 2. During which years do the measured racial disparities have a statistically significant decrease? 3. Which policies likely impacted these decreases the most? What are the commonalities between them?

Washington DC: Urban Institute, 2023. 53p.

By Alexandra Cox

There are stark racial and ethnic disparities which exist at all levels of the English and Welsh criminal justice systems (Lammy, 2017, Sveinsson, 2012, Chada, 2020). These disparities exist at the front end of the system in terms of the racially and ethnically disproportionate impact of stop and search; the racialised placement of individuals on police databases such as the Metropolitan Police’s Gangs Matrix; decision-making by magistrates and judges; and the barriers that people of colour face in accessing the legal profession, and, in particular, the judiciary (Williams and Clarke, 2016, Fatsis, 2019, Densley and Pyrooz, 2019, Centre for Justice Innovation, 2017, Gibbs and Kirby, 2014, The Law Society, 2020b).1 Defence practitioners can offer vital insights about criminal justice system practices as they are court ‘insiders’, with unprecedented access to legal procedures, negotiations, and practices, as well as access to legal cultures and cultural codes which are inherently racialised. They also have valuable knowledge about their clients’ lives and experiences in the system. However, this knowledge is rarely harnessed, despite the ways that it can be brought to bear in support of better outcomes for clients. Frontline legal practitioners also offer perspectives on the legitimacy of the justice system, both as individuals who have their own experiences of injustice, but also through an understanding of their clients’ experiences. There has been very little research on defence practitioners’ perceptions of the fairness of the criminal justice system landscape in England and Wales. Much of the research on defence practitioners has focused on the relationships that are established between practitioners and their clients and the role of trust in those relationships, and has been almost exclusively conducted in the United States (Flemming, 1986, Boccaccini et al., 2004, Sandys and Pruss, 2017, Campbell et al., 2015, Clair, 2020). There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that the experiences of lawyers of colour in the justice system in England and Wales are shaped by the dynamics of race, class and gender (Wilson, 2020, Johnson, 2020), and that their perspectives provide valuable insights into the working practices of the courts, but there is very little research evidence about these perspectives.

London: Howard League for Penal Reform, 2023. 11p.

By Eric Kaufmann

Recent data show racist attitudes and behaviors in the U.S. are on the decline; so why do Americans believe that our country is becoming progressively more racist? By analyzing a wide variety of scholarship and data sources—including original surveys of his own—Manhattan Institute’s (MI) adjunct fellow,  Eric Kaufmann, suggests that an important part of the reported experience of racism is ideologically malleable. But ideology, though arguably the largest factor, is only partially at fault for spreading the false narrative of growing racism. Partisanship, social media, and education have also inclined Americans to “see” more bigotry and racial prejudice than they previously did.  

In his new report, “The Social Construction of Racism in the United States,” Kaufmann finds that the solution to the public’s misinformed perception is to recognize first, that racism has been amplified by ideological and media construction; and second, that it is partly in the eye of the beholder.  

Across a range of surveys Kaufmann finds that:  

Ideology—and, to a lesser degree, social media exposure and university education—has heightened people’s perceptions of racism.

Depression and anxiety are linked to perceiving more racism.

The level of racism in society reported by whites appears to be driven more by political leaning than the level reported by blacks.

Liberal whites are more supportive of punitive Critical Race Theory (CRT) postulates than blacks, who aspire to agency and resilience.

CRT appears to have a detrimental effect on African-Americans’ feeling of being in control of their lives.

As much as half of reported racism may be ideologically or psychologically conditioned, and the rise in the proportion of Americans claiming racism to be an important problem is largely socially constructed. 

None of this means that racism has been eradicated, but the policy approaches that Kaufmann suggests diverge from those based on the narrative of “systemic” racism that is increasingly prevalent in professional settings. Rather than use shaming or punitive and virtue-signaling measures like CRT, Kaufmann suggests using race-neutral, less contentious initiatives like mentoring, nudges such as name=-blind CVs, and randomized control trials to ascertain which interventions work. 

As Kaufmann discusses, the dangers in overstating the presence of racism go well beyond majority resentment and polarization. A media-generated narrative about systemic racism distorts people’s perceptions of reality and may even damage African-Americans’ sense of control over their lives. While it is difficult to totally rid our society of racism, a change in our perception of it would benefit both our local communities and national social fabric. 

New York: The Manhattan Institute, 2021. 32p.

Paula A. Braveman, Elaine Arkin, Dwayne Proctor, Tina Kauh, and Nicole Holm

Racism is not always conscious, explicit, or readily visible— often it is systemic and structural. Systemic and structural racism are forms of racism that are pervasively and deeply embedded in systems, laws, written or unwritten policies, and entrenched practices and beliefs that produce, condone, and perpetuate widespread unfair treatment and oppression of people of color, with adverse health consequences. Examples include residential segregation, unfair lending practices and other barriers to home ownership and accumulating wealth, schools’ dependence on local property taxes, environmental injustice, biased policing and sentencing of men and boys of color, and voter suppression policies. This article defines systemic and structural racism, using examples; explains how they damage health through many causal pathways; and suggests approaches to dismantling them. Because systemic and structural racism permeate all sectors and areas, addressing them will require mutually reinforcing actions in multiple sectors and places; acknowledging their existence is a crucial first step.

February 2022 41:2 Health Affairs

By Sanjiv Lingayah

A new report by Dr Sanjiv Lingayah and ROTA shines a light on systemic racism. It takes a system provides a clear definition of this slippery concept and outlines an agenda for dismantling systemic racism. This includes creative efforts to bring to life how systems function as well as the development, by advocates and activists, of blueprints to show what a system that centres racial and other justice looks like.

Finally, to move towards a system that advances racial justice, we need proper funding for both the ‘fast’ work to deal with the crises of racial injustice and the ‘slow’ work of addressing systemic causes.

London: Beyond Race/Race on the Agenda , 2021. 20p.

By The Anti-Defamation League, Center on Extremism

This report examines the extremist and antisemitic trends and incidents in the state of Florida from 2020 to the present. The past two years have seen a significant increase in extremist related incidents both nationwide and in the state of Florida. These incidents have been driven, in part, by widespread disinformation and conspiracy theories which have animated extremists and fueled antisemitism. The result: unrest and violence, from the January 6 insurrection to white supremacist activity to a spike in hate crimes. In Florida, new white supremacist groups have formed, including White Lives Matter, Sunshine State Nationalists, NatSoc Florida and Florida Nationalists, while existing neo-Nazi and accelerationist groups have broadened their audience both online and on the ground activities. Other extremist groups such as Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys have shifted their strategies to focus on the local level, disrupting school board meetings and even running for political office.

New York: ADL, 2022. 46p.

By Libby Hemphill

Social media platforms provide fertile ground for white supremacist networks, enabling farright extremists to find one another, recruit and radicalize new members, and normalize their hate. Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter use content matching and machine learning to recognize and remove prohibited speech, but to do so, they must be able to recognize white supremacist speech and agree that it should be prohibited. Critics in the press1 and advocacy organizations still argue that social media companies haven’t been aggressive or broad enough in removing prohibited content. There is little public conversation, however, about what white supremacist speech looks like and whether white supremacists adapt or moderate their speech to avoid detection. Our team of researchers set out to better understand what constitutes English-language white supremacist speech online and how it differs from general or non-extremist speech. We also sought to determine whether and how white supremacists adapt their speech to avoid detection. We used computational methods to analyze existing sets of known white supremacist speech (text only) and compared those speech patterns to general or non-extremist samples of online speech. Prior work confirms that extremists use social media to connect and radicalize, and they use specific linguistic markers to signal their group membership. We sampled data from users of the white nationalist website Stormfront and a network of “alt-right” users on Twitter. Then, we compared their posts to typical, non-extremist Reddit comments.* We found that platforms often miss discussions of conspiracy theories about white genocide and Jewish power and malicious grievances against Jews and people of color. Platforms also let decorous but defamatory speech persist. With all their resources, platforms could do better. With all their power and influence, platforms should do better.

New York: ADL, 2022. 66p.