Creating a Faculty Activism Commons for Social Justice: Finding Hope in the Messy Truth

This timely book shines a light on social justice activism within higher education, calling for a conceptual space of faculty activism to share and build on the work of others who came before.

Written by expert social justice academics, this volume provides a collection of honest, critically reflective personal narratives by those who are leading systemic change within their institutions. The faculty authors share openly about their experiences, motivations, challenges, alliances, hopelessness, hopefulness, and what they wish they had known from the start. Topics include addressing systemic racism, changing discriminatory academic policies, establishing resources for historically marginalized students, advocating for a more diverse faculty and staff, educating the campus about bias, among others. This book empowers social justice academics to navigate the complexities of institutional procedures, recognize invisible walls that slow progress, and curate coalitions for systemic change.

Uniquely addressing the joys and challenges of creating systemic change, the book will be essential reading for faculty involved in social justice activism within their universities and colleges. The book will also be relevant for all those in the fields of social justice, community engagement, critical higher education, psychology, and sociology.

Kim A. Case, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. She investigates the systemic impact of workplace dominant cultural norms and practices on how academics navigate job demands with particular attention to health, performance, and retention outcomes. Her faculty development podcast and consulting (www.drkimcase.com) supports social justice academics tackling topics such as job crafting, values alignment, and invisible labor.

Leah R. Warner, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Her interdisciplinary scholarship concerns integrating intersectionality into psychological research and teaching strategies for addressing controversial social issues within U.S. sociopolitical contexts. She has received the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Teaching Innovation and Action Teaching Awards, is a SPSSI fellow, and serves on the editorial boards of Sex Roles and Psychology of Women Quarterly.