Turning the Tide: Challenging the Right on Campus

Turning the Tide: Challenging the Right on Campus includes an inspirational foreword by Howard Zinn. Informative is an understatement; this analysis provides a detailed account of right-wing and extremist vindictiveness on college campuses. This 40-page booklet includes a brief historical overview of the conflict between proponents of religious instruction and progressives who value free thinking in higher education. Mittal and Gustin incorporate newsworthy reports on “conservative youth-focusing organizations” with a special report on the amount of money they spend and the activities they engage in.

Published by the Institute for Democratic Education and Culture (IDEC)/Speak Out and the Oakland Institute, this analysis serves as a perfect reference for all “watch dogs” interested in having on hand pertinent information about right-wing and corporate agendas that have begun to affect progressive students of colleges and universities nationwide. The booklet is separated into two distinct parts. The first section is a report of the conflict and the second section includes a discussion regarding “groundwork” and a proposal for future initiatives. A nice supplement to this work would be a practical guide to appropriate outreach organizations. Otherwise, this is a great introduction to the problems facing students today.

Turning the Tide is a call for action as well as a tool that can be used to inform and reenergize any activist. The easy to read format encourages quick review during free time and painless future referencing. The end of the report incorporates discussion points regarding long-term strategies for progressive activists to support student leaders, mentors, and faculty members who struggle to preserve liberal education. This is an essential read and a viable reference work; its succinctness makes it accessible to a wide audience.

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