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THREAD I've just finished Natives by @akalamusic and it is without doubt as essential piece of reading for #Sociology teachers and students. I started it last year and will admit that #BLM and the events around it made me pick it up again
But I'm glad that I did. It is another work that made me think about my own social mobility and experiences as white/WC/male/in a rural setting but of similar age to the author
Like all works by polymaths it is ambitious and covers vast areas and crosses disciplines and has a line of self-examination that helps connect all of those directions into one narrative. I think that is quite common in Sociology because of the interconnectedness and scope
Having been in recent discussions about "de-colonising the curriculum" this book offers lots of examples and alternates for many common sociological discussions and models and this might be important for teachers and students alike
It also makes me question not just my assumptions but gives points of discussion where you might disagree with @akala or suggest bias and anecdote aren't necessarily conclusive but there is merit in examining validity in the sociological sense as much statistics
That's often the hardest part to teach in research methods and this books offers many starting points to help explore the cultural and individual experiences. Especially as our subject is still very much the preserve of "dead white men" in many respects
Who were the product of the Enlightenment put under the spotlight here. Having used his interviews and Fire in the Booth videos previously in lessons there are definitely quotes and perspectives here that are ripe for case study and analysis
It also makes me wish there was potential for a rebirth of "general studies" which allows all students to spend a little time each week away from exams and thinking about their future directions and appreciate cross-curricular ideas
