8 Summer Reads on DEI

The National Institute on Scientific Teaching has shared a few recommendations for summer reading. This list focuses on books that may help us deepen our understanding of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) topics in higher education. Full descriptions are provided in the links by clicking on the titles. I have also added a link to the availability of the book in our library.

1. “Superior“ – Angela Saini. “Superior” walks the reader through the long history of the belief in biological racial differences and how it has been intertwined with political history. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/18696719
2. “Inferior“ – Angela Saini. “Inferior” explores the background belief that men and women are fundamentally different. Angela Saini takes the reader on a journey that investigates past research on gender differences in biology, anthropology, and psychology. “Inferior” then shows a view of science where women are included rather than excluded. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/16409604
3. “UNgrading“ – Susan Blum. Read the testimonials of fifteen educators describing their journey going gradeless. The stories encompass all levels of instruction, and different disciplines. This is a great book for understanding the movement and reading the personal reflections of individuals that are at different stages of their journey. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/18678673
4. “For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education“ – Chris Emdin. In this book the author reflects on their own experience to show a poignant perspective on teaching and learning in urban schools. The author explains their theory of Reality Pedgaogy, demonstrating this with the seven C’s, and provides tools to excite and encourage students and instructors to break free of traditional modes of thinking about urban education. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/15426645
5. “The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die“ – Keith Payne. The Broken Ladder explores the effects of rising inequality and how people perceive their position in society.  The book examines inequalities’ link to health crises, long-term prosperity, and social cohesion, among others. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/17538409
6. “Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society“ – Cordelia Fine. This text explores the myth that the difference between men and women is biological. Codelia Fine works to debunk the science and societal misconceptions that are often used to perpetuate this myth. Using humor in a masterful way, “Testosterone Rex” disproves these misconceptions, and argues for a more equal society based on the potential present in all humans. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/16523736
7. “Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education“ – Jay Dolmage. “Academic Ableism” brings together disability studies and institutional critique to examine the methods for accommodation and how schools are constructed, to formulate their argument that building more inclusive schools that address ableism will ultimately provide better education for all. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/17823265
8. “The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students“ – Anthony Abraham Jack. This book outlines how student background has a large effect on the chances for student success, and illuminates what it is like to be poor on an elite college campus. The book explains why the university obligation to disadvantaged students must go beyond a letter of admission and strive to make inclusion for all students a reality at college campuses. https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/18498620