Isabel Wilkerson (an American journalist who has won the Pulitzer Prize) analyzes America’s underlying caste and the way it influences everyday life. In this article, Kavin Selva explores the connections presented in Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.
Category: Book Summary
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Book Review: Among the Braves
Written by two journalists based in Hong Kong— Shibani Mahtani, a Washington Post Correspondent, and Timothy McLaughlin, a contributor for the Atlantic, Among The Braves provides a narrative history of the events that culminated in Hong Kong’s 2019 mass protest movement. This review focuses on the most applicable information for speeches, like historical context and examples of broader Chinese strategies used to quash rebellion. I highly suggest reading this book for yourself. Not only is it incredibly fascinating and helpful to provide more context for speeches, but following the stories of activists as they creatively and selflessly fight for democracy is incredibly inspirational.
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How to Hide an Empire
Daniel Immerwahr (an American Historian specializing in empire, development, and the history of ideas) analyzes how America has managed to remain a hidden empire throughout history. In this article Kavin Selva goes deeper into the “hidden” empire discussed in the book, How to Hide an Empire.
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How Democracies Die
Steven Levitsky (a professor of government at Harvard University who focuses on comparative government) and Daniel Ziblatt (an American political scientist who specializes in the study of historical economies) remark that democracies have stopped going out with a bang, but rather a whimper. In this article, Akshita Krishnan explores these “whimpers” noted in the book, How Democracies Die.
Constraining Dictatorship is a masterfully executed book that weaves in empirical analysis made to explain how executive constraints on autocratic leaders emerge, and the effects of institutionalization on a regime.
In her 2021 book The Authority Gap, former editor at The Times and political correspondent at The Economist Mary Ann Seighart provides insight into the authority gap, explaining why as a society we often undermine women while uplifting men.
Jack Snyder, an American political scientist and the Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Relations at Columbia University, offers a bold perspective on systems based on human rights and demonstrates the stability of human rights depends on central power.
In his 2014 memoir Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson documents his career dealing with the criminal justice system and its history of unjustly targeting and incarcerating Black Americans.
Published in 2017, Howard W. French provides excellent historical context to understand some of the motivations behind China’s modern-day behavior.
Citing a book is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books you may want to cite in your next speech.
Citing a book is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books you may want to cite in your next speech.
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Book Summaries: Part 3
Citing a book is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books you may want to cite in your […]
Categories
Book Summaries: Part 2
Citing a book (or books!) is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books (with their summaries) you may […]
Categories
Book Summaries: Part 1
Citing a book (or books!) is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books (with their summaries) you may […]