Connected: The Amazing Power of Our Social Networks was suggested by David Jarman

As part of the Ragged Library, David Jarman, School of Marketing, Tourism and Language, Edinburgh Napier University suggested ‘Connected: The Amazing Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives’…

I am putting a book titled Connected into the Ragged Library. Connected has the subtitle ‘the amazing power of social networks and how they shape our lives’ and it does its best to live up to that claim. Through a series of case studies the authors (Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler) draw from numerous fields of research to present their arguments: that our social networks influence our daily lives in ways we are barely aware of.

The Marketisation of Higher Education and Student as Consumer was suggested by Keith Smyth

As part of the Ragged Library, Keith Smyth, Senior Lecturer in Higher Education at Edinburgh Napier University suggested ‘Molesworth, M., Scullion, R. and Nixon, E. (Eds.) (2010). The Marketisation of Higher Education and Student as Consumer. Oxon and New York: Routledge.’…

Published in 2010 (paperback 2011), The Marketisation of Higher Education and Student as Consumer presented a timely, and still invaluable, critical consideration of the state of Higher Education in the UK set against a backdrop of post-war education sector reforms and within the context of government policy being introduced as we entered the current decade.
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Road to Wigan Pier was suggested by Dr Joel Lazarus

As part of the Ragged Library, Dr Joel Lazarus, Lecturer in International Relations, University College, University of Oxford suggested ‘Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell’…

My book recommendation for the Ragged Library is George Orwell’s ‘Road to Wigan Pier’. The second half of the book, in particular, where he expounds about socialism, fascism, and class is not only hugely insightful, eloquent, and prescient, but resonates all too well with our current experiences in Europe today.

My Dream Is To Be Bold: Our Work To End Patriarchy suggested by Jane Quin

As part of the Ragged Library, Jane Quin, lecturer in Social Justice Education at University of KwaZulu-Natal, Education and Development, Pietermaritzburg Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa suggested ‘My Dream Is To Be Bold: our work to end patriarchy by Feminist Alternatives, published by Pambazuka Press, an imprint of Fahamu…

This is beautifully presented book of the work of feminist activists of long and more recent standing in the Western Cape, South Africa. The layout invites one into the text with pictures and inspiring and intriguing sound bites.
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Philosophy of Education: An Anthology was suggested by Keith Smyth

As part of the Ragged Library, Keith Smyth, Senior Lecturer in Higher Education at Edinburgh Napier University suggested ‘Philosophy of Education: An Anthology. Curren, R. (Ed.) (2007) Oxford: Blackwell.’…

Within any discipline area the published anthology is a notoriously difficult prospect. Striking the balance between breadth of coverage and depth of exploration for those who are new to a particular field of knowledge, while at the same time also offering a reference text of value to those who are more experienced scholars or practitioners, would seem an uneasy undertaking.
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Hope In The Dark suggested by Gordon Asher

As part of the Ragged Library, Gordon Asher – University of West of Scotland, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde suggested ‘Hope in the Dark’ by Rebecca Solnit…

Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power – The Never-Surrender Guide to How the World Gets Changed. Rebecca Solnit provides a candle of hope when it seems dark. When struggles for social justice leave us shattered and burnt out, cynical and despairing, discouraged and despondent – hers is a necessary voice of hope.

How to be an Explorer of the World suggested by Rick Hall

As part of the Ragged Library, Rick Hall – Honorary Fellowship at Nottingham University in the School of Education suggested ‘How to be an Explorer of the World’ by Keri Smith (Penguin 2008)…

This is a hand-drawn handbook and collection of creative thinking ideas and activities. Keri Smith has gone on to produce a collection of ‘non-books’ designed to avoid prescriptive thinking – but How to be an Explorer is the first and most open, and in some ways most surprising. A book that we issue as standard to our Ignite! Creative Sparks to provoke alternative ways of connecting ideas.

Seeing Like a State suggested by Professor James Smith

As part of the Ragged Library, Professor James Smith – Chair of African and Development Studies, Assistant Principal, Global Development, University of Edinburgh suggested James Scott’s (1999) Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed, Yale University Press…

Scott’s work is extremely important in helping us understand the limits and limitations of development planning as the means to order society. Read more…

Multimedia Learning suggested by Susan Brown

As part of the Ragged Library, Susan Brown – School of Education, University of Manchester suggested Mayer, R. (2009) Multimedia Learning: Second Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press… Read more…