In Living Color: An Anthology of Contemporary Student Writings on Race is a compilation of recent college student perspectives from La Salle University on the contentious and deeply divisive issue of race in the United States of America. Collected between 2014-2017, the works offer a broad range of reflections on race, privilege, prejudice, and systemic racism witnessed and experienced by university students today. Through writings composed both inside and outside their coursework, students share their voices in multiple genres-including research articles, poetry, personal essays, artwork, and multimedia projects. Faculty and staff introductions provide scholarly frameworks for the students' experiences and represent many disciplines across the university. At the heart of this book is a commitment to the principles of student-centered learning and social justice that pervade education in the Lasallian tradition.
This anthology contains works appropriate to assign in college-level classes across the curriculum, in both undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as in high schools. Whether you teach within arts and sciences, business, nursing and health sciences, or other fields, In Living Color contains readings relevant to your classes. While created in the context of a Lasallian school, this text could be used productively by any university or high school educators interested in amplifying students' voices about race.
Readings in this book can be assigned for faculty development activities, student organizations, campus and community events, and themed initiatives including student retreats and orientations. This important and timely collection invites us all as citizens of the world to enter into conversation with the student, faculty and staff authors, continuing the challenging but necessary work performed within these pages.
The elephant in every college classroom is race. This volume does three things. First, it dares to broach this taboo subject. Second, it shows the elephantine nature of race by illustrating how it looms over the lives of students, faculty and all Americans. Third and most significantly, In Living Color is a how-to manual for discussing race in a sensitive, honest and productive way. You and your students need this book.
--Dr. Brian J. Jones, Professor of Sociology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA
As I read In Living Color: An Anthology of Contemporary Student Writings on Race, I found myself wishing that I were teaching a course in college theology, history, sociology, literature, psychology or music! I would love to have had such a resource on hand for students as I constructed a unit or even a course on issues relating to race and other forms of discrimination. The essays and poetry are provocative and evocative, challenging and enlightening. The additional material provided by the faculty including both essays from their specific disciplines and suggestions for using the material in each chapter make this a most valuable book. I highly recommend its use. I can even imagine using it with AP high school students. Doctors Reardon, Schoen and Longo deserve our gratitude for this contribution to conversations that we desperately need.
--Dr. Honora Werner, OP, Associate Professor and Director, Doctor of Ministry in Preaching Program, Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, MO
