Politics & Government

As far as topics go, politics may be as divisive as they come. Still, there's no escaping the role that it plays in our lives. The texts in this collection explore the gamut of how politics shapes and reshapes societies throughout history.

Publication year 1890

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Victorian Period, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period

News From Nowhere by William Morris (1834-1896) is a work of speculative science fiction and socialist utopian imagination. The narrator, William Guest, is mysteriously transported from 1890 to the 21st century. As he travels through a version of London that is both familiar and strange, he records his impressions of the socialist society that has come to replace the industrialized, capitalist one of his own time. Through conversations with a number of 21st-century Londoners, Guest... Read News from Nowhere Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization

Tags History: U.S., Anthropology, Politics / Government, History: World, Colonial America, Education, Education


Publication year 2001

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community

Tags Sociology, Poverty, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Education, Education, Business / Economics

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is a 2001 nonfiction book written by Barbara Ehrenreich. This book is considered a classic of investigative journalism and was ranked #13 in The Guardian’s list of the 100 best books of the 21st century. Ehrenreich takes a series of low-paying, entry-level jobs in three cities (Key West, Florida; Portland, Maine; Minneapolis, Minnesota) to answer the question of whether one can survive on these wages and... Read Nickel and Dimed Summary


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Sociology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Travel Literature


Publication year 1517

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government


Publication year 1961

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Crime / Legal, Incarceration, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Grief / Death, Politics / Government, Biography

No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row is a nonfiction young adult book published by Susan Kuklin in 2009. The book recounts Kuklin’s interviews with teenagers sentenced to death row or life without the possibility of parole. In addition to allowing her subjects to share their experiences in their own words, the book also delves into the US criminal justice system and the issue of capital punishment. No Choirboy is a 2009 Bank... Read No Choirboy Summary


Publication year 1973

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism

Tags Politics / Government, Social Justice, Race / Racism, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 2009

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: African , Politics / Government, Social Justice, Race / Racism, African Literature, Biography, History: World, Religion / Spirituality

Originally published in 1999, No Future Without Forgiveness is the memoir of Desmond Mpilo Tutu. Tutu won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1984 for his efforts to end apartheid in South Africa. He served as Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Cape Town and later chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which President Mandela established to help address the atrocities of apartheid.Although Tutu’s memoir focuses on his work with the TRC between 1995... Read No Future Without Forgiveness Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 1887

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Satire, Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, History: Asian, Politics / Government, Asian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction

Noli Me Tángere (1887)—which translates to “Touch Me Not” in Latin—is a novel written by Filipino writer José Rizal. The novel tells the story of Don Crisóstomo Ibarra, a young man of Filipino and Spanish descent who returns to the Philippines after a seven-year trip to Europe. Upon his return, and because he is now old enough to better understand the world, Ibarra sees the oppression wrought on the Indigenous population by Spanish colonialism. As... Read Noli Me Tángere Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Globalization

Tags Travel Literature, Sociology, Poverty, Class, American Literature, Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government


Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community

Tags Sociology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Biography

No Matter How Loud I Shout is a work of nonfiction written by Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes and published in 1996. This work comprises the author’s ethnographical observations and participations in the Los Angeles juvenile justice system for the year of 1994. Humes asserts that the names of juveniles have been changed in accordance with state laws regarding confidentiality; however, everything else is true, and reported in the allegedly unbiased style of 1990s investigative journalism... Read No Matter How Loud I Shout Summary


Publication year 1972

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race

Tags Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Politics / Government, History: U.S., History: World, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 1955

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Sociology, Existentialism, Black Arts Movement, Black Lives Matter, Race / Racism, History: World, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Biography

Notes of a Native Son is a collection of nonfiction essays by James Baldwin. Baldwin originally published the essays individually in various literary and cultural commentary magazines between 1948 and 1955. The Beacon Press first republished the essays as Notes of a Native Son in 1955. This study guide refers to the 2012 Beacon Press edition of Notes of a Native Son. Citations to page numbers, however, come from the volume The Price of the... Read Notes of a Native Son Summary


Publication year 1785

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism

Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, American Revolution, Classic Fiction, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Philosophy, Race / Racism


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Asian Literature, Sociology, Korean Literature, Journalism, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Travel Literature, Politics / Government, Biography

Barbara Demick’s 2010 nonfiction book, Nothing to Envy, is based on interviews with North Korean defectors from the city of Chongjin, six of whom are profiled in the book. It relays the history of modern Korea, from the end of Japanese occupation after WWII, to the division of Korea into two by the United States, to the economic rise and fall of the North Korean state in the late 20th century. There is a particular... Read Nothing to Envy Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Community

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Social Justice, Politics / Government

No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us (2019) was written by Rachel Louise Snyder, an associate professor of creative writing and journalism at American University. A world traveler, longtime contributor to magazines and podcasts, and a 2020 Guggenheim Fellow, Snyder has won awards for both her fiction and nonfiction works, which include Fugitive Denim and What We’ve Lost is Nothing. No Visible Bruises, published by Bloomsbury Publishing, won the... Read No Visible Bruises Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Politics / Government, Military / War