Book Review: No Study Without Struggle

Editor's Note: This book review was originally published in Manhattan Book Review

Dr. Leigh Patel

Dr. Leigh Patel researches student-led activist movements that have emerged from college campuses, contending that the fervor for social change starts with the grounding and understanding of history and the promise of decolonization and liberation. In No Study Without Struggle, Patel shares her findings about social movements spanning generations, from the Combahee River Collective to Black Lives Matter. To create equitable systems in higher education, activist students and faculty are not only confronting the system of racist power but also settler colonialism. Patel argues that persistent systemic inequities stem from the complex interplay among the seizure of land, erasure of indigeneity, and theft of labor.

I have spent a considerable part of my adult life studying and working in colleges and universities, and this book held my interest. Dr. Patel is an astute scholar and educator committed to truth-telling in order to affect change. Education is not the great equalizer, she proclaims, boldly calling out the commodification of higher education to serve “racial capitalism.” In No Study Without Struggle, she challenges faculty and administrators to critically examine the workings of their institutions, from student admissions to tenure-granting processes. Through the lens of a diversity practitioner, Patel’s observations about unequal power relations inherent in diversity and inclusion functions are spot on.

While it is written from an academic insider’s point of view, the lessons in this book are accessible to anyone with an interest in untangling higher education from the interminable legacy of settler colonialism.

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Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto

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Enlighten Me

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Los Angeles Book Review . Author Minh Lê Standing up for oneself seems like doing the right thing. Binh did just that in the face of a racist school bully who was poking fun at his Asian heritage. But physically assaulting another student goes against school policy, and it was Binh who got in trouble. Binh shares a silent retreat with his family and younger siblings. Along with other children, he learns about stories from the previous lives of the Buddha. The stories are interesting, but for Binh, it is difficult to sit still and clear his mind when he misses his Gameboy. While he struggles with silence, he learns important lessons about friendship, community, and being present. In the graphic novel "Enlighten Me," award-winning author Minh Lê and bestselling illustrator Chan Chau tell the story of a boy who gains a better understanding of himself as he works on quieting the mind and reflecting on dharma. Lê and Ch...

Minding the Wealth Gap

As a Black investor and startup founder, Cliff Goins IV brings firsthand experience and sharp insight to one of America’s most urgent issues: the racial wealth gap. Having navigated the worlds of finance and entrepreneurship, Goins has seen up close the systemic disparities in wealth creation, access to capital, and asset management. From unequal opportunities in homeownership and education to persistent challenges in business funding and employment, the historical gaps are perpetuated in present-day practices. In "Minding the Wealth Gap," Goins skillfully blends data, lived experience, and the insights of experts to illuminate the deep-rooted economic disparities facing Black Americans. More importantly, he highlights the power of collective uplift. Through the voices of nine dynamic “gap closers,” Goins shows how real change happens when Black investors and leaders open doors for others. Each success “play” or strategy underscores the ripple effect of support. Selena Cu...

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