Pirate Read 2021-2022: The Person You Mean to Be: Further Reading

Empathy is one of the most talked about and widely studied concepts of recent years. Some argue it can help create a more just society, improve medical care, and even avert global catastrophe. Others object that it is morally problematic. Who is right? And what is empathy anyway?

This collection draws together nineteen original chapters on empathy in each of these areas, written by leading researchers across a wide range of disciplines, together with an extensive Introduction by the editors. The individual chapters reveal how important it is, in a wide range of fields of enquiry, to bring to bear an understanding of the role of empathy in its various guises. This volume will make a helpful and lasting contribution to the continuing debate, in philosophy, in psychology, and elsewhere.

Our ability to understand others and help others understand us is essential to our individual and collective well-being. Yet there are many barriers that keep us from walking in the shoes of others: fear, skepticism, and power structures that separate us from those outside our narrow groups. To progress in a multicultural world and ensure our common good, we need to overcome these obstacles. Our best hope can be found in the skill of empathy.

What is the basis of our capacity to act morally? This is a question that has been discussed for millennia, with philosophical debate typically distinguishing two sources of morality: reason and sentiment. This collection aims to shed light on whether the human capacity to feel for others really is central for morality and, if so, in what way.

Embodied Social Justice introduces a body-centered approach to working with oppression, designed for social workers, counselors, educators, and other human service professionals. Grounded in current research, this integrative approach to social justice works directly with the implicit knowledge of our bodies to address imbalances in social power.

Promoting Diversity and Social Justice provides theories, perspectives, and strategies that are useful for working with adults from privileged groups--those who are in a more powerful position in any given type of oppression.

Issues of social justice have been an important part of social psychology
since the explosion of psychological research that occurred during and after
World War II. At that time, psychologists began to move away from earlier
theories that paid little attention to people’s subjective understanding of the
world. As increasing attention was paid to people’s thoughts about their
social experiences, it was discovered that people are strongly affected by
their assessments of what is just or fair in their dealings with others. This
recognition has led to a broad range of studies exploring what people mean
by justice and how it influences their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.