#AcademicRunPlaylist - 5/24/25

It is clearly turkey mating season in New England, and while surreptitiously observing the displays I also listened to books for my #AcademicRunPlaylist!

First was "We Refuse" by Kellie Carter Jackson. This book is an extremely powerful examination of the history of forceful Black resistance across the Americas over the centuries. The introduction is extremely provocative in a good way, and while it implies that the rest of the book will go farther than it actually does in affirming physically violent resistance, it nonetheless sets the table for what is a convincing analysis of how different forms of refusal and violence brought more change than other approaches. I have some minor quibbles (e.g. Haiti's post-revolution experience is viewed through rose-colored glasses), but especially in our current moment this is a vital book. Highly recommend https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kellie-carter-jackson/we-refuse/9781541602908/

Next was "In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower" by Davarian Baldwin. Baldwin has compiled an impressive sociological dive into the interaction between universities and cities, demonstrating the issues with their non-profit status with regards to supporting their communities. I only wish it were paired with a rigorous economic analysis - as it stands there are essentially no metrics to back up any of the various extremely NIMBY statements throughout the book, with those concerns only called out in passing. There are some useful takeaways, however, particularly around universities paying more in local taxes https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/davarian-l-baldwin/in-the-shadow-of-the-ivory-tower/9781568588919/

Last was "Power" by Jeffrey Pfeffer. If leader case studies are your thing, this is your book. Jeff has an impressive collection here (including one featuring my cousin Jeff Sonnenfeld!), and they go far to illustrate many of the points he makes around how to attain organizational power. I wish there were more critical examination of the limitations of case studies and a review of the gaps in the academic literature, and I also felt that there wasn't nearly enough time spent grappling with the issues that arise when individuals attain too much power. Still, this is an extremely useful book as an entry point to the concept of organizational power and influence https://jeffreypfeffer.com/books/power-why-some-people-have-it-and-others-dont/