Customer Reviews

Changing People's Lives While Transforming Your Own: Paths to Social Justice and Global Human Rights

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book focuses primarily on inspirational efforts to improve the lives of children in Nepal, but also covers a variety of additional "service learning" efforts throughout the world and right here in the U.S. The authors provide insightful descriptions of activities of college students, faculty, and professionals from other fields who are promoting social justice and global human rights for others, but also promoting their own self actualization. In fact, they contend that service learning experiences can provide the following benefits: greater appreciation of simplicity in my own life, changing my values, enhanced resilience and confidence in facing adversity, reduction of a sense of privilege and entitlement, enhanced social interest and social support, exhilaration and joy, and creating a sense of meaning in my life. It's sort of like a qualitative exploration of balanced positive psychology. But the authors aren't Pollyannaish, and they discuss the frustrations, difficulties, and roadblocks that often can occur in helping others. Further, they make the point that you don't have to travel half-way around the world to find and help victims of neglect, marginalization, abuse, or social injustice, you can probably find them within a few miles of where you live. For someone interested in making a difference in the lives of others and in their own, this book is a fantastic place to start and/or to gain renewed insight and motivation.

I teach a course meant to inspire psychology graduate students to engage with social justice issues. This text is one of two that I require for the course. It is really quite engaging, and helps students to work through issues of personal motives, worldview, and social justice values. I highly recommend it for people who are developing their vision for work in the helping professions -- especially those who are wondering if there is a role for them in meeting some of the more serious areas of need in a global, cross cultural context. Note: There is an attached DVD with the book which is really a terrible waste of resources (and perhaps could be eliminated to bring the cost of the book down). It is a badly produced, confusing and unfocused amateur production, with a monotonous, poorly performed amateur soundtrack that makes the whole thing even more painful to watch. The reason for four rather than five stars in my review.