By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer
The Hundred Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
Rashid Khalidi’s account of the oppression faced by Palestinians is the perfect place to start for those who have limited knowledge of Palestinian history. Khalidi covers the Israeli occupation of Palestine before the Nakba (which took place in 1947 and led to the dispossession of many Palestinians). He traces the root of Zionism by analyzing the colonizers’ gaze and language when the question of Palestine was present.
Khalidi, who is also Palestinian, weaves in his own lineage, expanding on how he is deeply tied to the land he writes about. As the book progresses, the writing becomes more personal; the reality of the situation begins to set in with the reader.
Tracing three eras of the Israeli occupation, The Hundred Years War on Palestine, reminds us that the oppression Palestinians face began nearly a century before October 7th. Khalidi’s work outlines oppression, resistance, and the failures of the international community.
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
Freire’s work covers the relationship between power and education. He argues that for oppressed people to truly find freedom, the education they receive must focus on doing so. However, the power structures that influence the curriculum tend to uphold the status quo.
Freire’s own experiences as an educator in Brazil and his travels educating in places like Guinea Bissau are woven into the book. This personal touch shapes the thinking behind this book, as Freire is not merely investigating power and education but exposing the deeper nature of his own journey. While Pedagogy of the Oppressed is fairly short in length, the book is a dense work of philosophy with four chapters, all requiring the readers’ focus, and constant critical engagement. The heart of the book is this solution proposed by Friere, as he investigates how the latter can play a role in the liberation of the oppressed.
Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher
Capitalism is not just an economic system, but an ideological motif that dominates the western mind. Mark Fisher argues that capitalism’s influence has become so significant it’s difficult to think of any other probable system outside of capitalism. Fisher draws on the famous quote by Fredric Jameson and Slavoj Žižek: “It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.”
Capitalist Realism is short and concise. Under 100 pages, Fisher manages to cover topics such as how capitalism is depicted in dystopian stories, how capitalism affects mental health, and contributes to environmental degradation. All these issues are tied to the fact that market supremacy has made life transactional, and difficult for our psyche to break free from this mode of thinking.
One of the key takeaways from this book is that it covers how mental illness is viewed in a capitalist mindset. It is often subjugated to be a “chemico-biological problem,” placing the blame on someone’s brain chemistry instead of considering the possibility that capitalism has had an effect on the person.
True Reconciliation by Jody Wilson-Raybould
Jody Wilson-Raybould (Kwakwaka’wakw) served as a member of parliament in the Canadian government and has written this book drawing from the cultural and diplomatic experience she had in that capacity. True Reconciliation sets the record straight about colonial history in Canada and the existing structures within government that continue to affect Indigenous People today.
Wilson-Raybould explains the significance of Indigenous cultures and highlights the various perspectives that are present within the communities, then progresses the narrative towards understanding the past. The reader will be given a straightforward account of Indigenous history from a political angle, presented with oppressive accounts of Canadian policy-making, as well as thoroughly researched evidence of colonial thinking and Indigenous rebuttal. Wilson-Raybould ensures that the analysis she provides is thoroughly supported by evidence, and no corner seems unturned with her research in the book.
