We live in a modern and advanced world where we have all kinds of luxuries available. However, even in the advanced world of today, racial prejudices and gender inequality is prevalent. Here we’ve listed a few books that highlights these issues like gender roles and racial prejudice.
What is Social Movements Books
In recent years, the fight for gender equality and against racial prejudice have gained traction. There are several inspiring books that you can read and learn more about the social issues of today and how you can play your part in the social movements in the society, such as Black Lives Matter (BLM), etc.
Books on Racism
The following books enlighten the readers about racial discrimination, oppression, and marginalization in the world. Since education is the first step towards the creation of a just, equitable society, reading these books will be worth your time.
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
At times, racist tendencies can exist deep within us as a result of social conditioning. In this book, the author asks the readers to imagine a world with no racism, and how we can ensure that such a world becomes a reality.
This book, as well as the essays on books that fill your literary needs we have discussed below, is a must-read for those who want to develop awareness regarding racial issues, protection of rights, etc. If a college student wants to help make this world a better place, he has to read various essays on books discussing the discrimination rampant in the world.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The author wrote this enticing book as a letter to his son. In this book, Coates examines the realities, symbols, and feelings connected with being a person of color in America. It is written in a somber yet poetic tone and the writer takes you through incidents of his life and how every institution – from schools to police stations – tends to marginalize Auro-Americans and black folks.
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
his is an amazing book by Robin DiAngelo that aims to comprehend white fragility and look at racism from a different perspective. The book details how white people feel offended and attacked when people talk about racism.
Change can’t come without the white people acknowledging the harm that had been done by their hands to the blacks, and this concept is beautifully explained in this book. Only through learning and studying the truth will people be able to affect real change.
Books on Gender Roles
Here is a list of some of the best books on gender roles that will educate you and will empower you to take the right kind of action.
Orlando by Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf’s book is one of the classics in the world of queer literature. It is a book that centers on gender identity. Since for Woolf, her gender was a constriction in many ways, she explored a fantasy world in her book in which the binary genders are more flexible and dream of a future where the gender-based boundaries are broken.
MiddleSex by Jeffrey Eugenides
This controversial book not only discusses issues related to coming of age and gender identity, but also sheds light on issues of culture, family, and immigration. This is certainly not a novel that you can miss!
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
This is a great novel that focuses primarily on lesbian relationships. However, the characters in this book explore their gender through drag. It is a commentary on learned characteristics, gender performance, and how masculinity and femininity operate in society.
The Impact of Gender Quotas
We are starting to hear conversations and debates about gender quotas and how they will help in bringing about equality in society. This book helps us understand how gender quotas will achieve equality goals in the world.
The efficacy of gender quotas, and a lot more is discussed in detail here, and we recommend this as a must-read for every man and woman who is searching for a solution for gender inequality.
Books Change Society
People all around the globe have become more aware of the systemic oppression in the world based on race color, gender, etc. With the help of the right books, you can increase your awareness about the issues and explore them, from cultural, political, and economic perspectives.
Books can change the society for better. Read the books that we have explored above and make sure you play your role to make this world a better place!
