IS 195 Urban Studies Book List
Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne
From dressing the wounds of lepers in Calcutta to living among the homeless in Philadelphia to visiting families in Iraq, social activist Claiborne strives to live an authentic Christian life. In his view, he is a radical in the truest sense of the word, returning to the roots of Christianity by living as Jesus did and doing "small things with great love." A partner-founder of the Philadelphia-based faith community Simple Way, he presents an evangelical Christianity gentler and more inclusive than is usually seen, especially in the mass media.
Privilege, Power and Difference by Allan G. Johnson
This book examines systems of privilege and difference in our society. Johnson links theory with engaging examples in ways that enable readers to see the underlying nature and consequences of privilege and their connection to it.
White Like Me by Tim Wise
Racial privilege shapes the lives of white Americans in every facet of life, from employment and education to housing and criminal justice. Using stories from his own life, Tim Wise shows that racism not only burdens people of color, but also benefits those who are "white like him" — whether or not they’re actively racist.
The Corner: A Year in the life of an Inner-City Neighborhood by David Simon and Edward Burns
The authors write about the stories they encountered when they spent a year in a West Baltimore neighborhood that was a center of the drug trade. At the center of the narrative is the McCullough family--DeAndre, age 15, and his drug-addicted parents, Gary and Fran. This book offers an insightful look into drug culture and the dynamics of life on the street.
What Christians Think About Homosexuality by L. R. Holben
The author presents an objective description of all Christian points of view on Homosexuality, what the biblical and theological bases for each are, how they are criticized and how they answer their critics.
Bone by Fae Myenne Ng
This novel explores the aspirations, struggles and emotional scars of a family living in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Not for Sale by David Batstone
Human trafficking generates $31 billion annually and enslaves 27 million people around the globe. Half of them are children under the age of eighteen. Award-winning journalist David Batstone, who Bono calls "a uniquely heroic figure" profiles the new generation of abolitionists who are leading the struggle to end this appalling epidemic.
Hope for Children in Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities
by Marian Wright Edelman, Ronald J. Sider, Heidi Unruh
Both "as citizens and as members of the household of faith, we have an obligation to act on behalf of children in poverty," write co-editors Sider and Unruh, president and staff member, respectively, of Evangelicals for Social Action. In this anthology they attempt to provide a wide range of perspectives to help civic and religious leaders do just that, drawing on contributions from leaders of relief organizations like World Vision, Bread for the World and Compassion International.
Westmont Urban Program - 301 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94117 - (415) 931-2460 or (800) 61-URBAN