Ethics Book Clubs examine environment, prison and racism

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University's Center for the Study of Ethics in Society is presenting three book clubs during the fall semester that examine ethical questions around the environment, prison reform, and racism’s implications for American society. Two clubs will conduct their discussions in person, and the other will meet virtually. 

All book clubs are open to the public. The first 10 people to sign-up receive a free book. Fill out this form to register.

Explore the books

• "Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard" by Douglas Tallamy—Meetings will be at Bookbug/this is a bookstore, 3019 Oakland Drive, in Kalamazoo on on Thursdays, Sept. 28, Oct. 12 and 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The Department of Philosophy's Jonathan Milgrim, faculty specialist, and Dr. Fritz Allhoff, professor, will lead each discussion. This book explores ways to address wildlife decline at the individual level regardless of government policy while arguing for the need to plant more native species. "Nature’s Best Hope" raises ethical questions that cut across the political divide.
• "Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon—Meetings will be held virtually on Webex on Wednesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 26 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dr. William Santiago-Valles, associate professor emeritus of Africana Studies, will lead each discussion. This book highlights the harmful impacts of racism and colonialism, including violence, trauma and mental illness. "Wretched of the Earth" covers the means of struggling against those who profit from racism and colonialism, as well as the obstacles to creating alternative forms of knowledge and social relations.
• "The Idea of Prison Abolition" by Dr. Tommie Shelby—Meetings will be in 2401 Sangren Hall on Mondays, Nov. 13 and 27 and Dec. 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Dr. Ashley Atkins, associate professor of philosophy, will lead each discussion. This book examines the case for prison abolition, concluding that society can greatly reduce incarceration by attending to the structural injustices that contribute to crime and the harms it causes even if prisons remain. "The Idea of Prison Abolition" raises ethical questions surrounding the prevalence of inhumane prison conditions and the devastating costs of mass incarceration for Black communities.  Shelby, Caldwell Titcomb Professor of African and African American Studies and of philosophy at Harvard University, will give a lecture at Western at 3 p.m. Dec. 8 in Rooms 2209/2211 of the WMU Student Center.

Students can earn WMU Signature credit for any book club for which they attended all scheduled meetings.

Learn more about the Center for the Sudy ion Ethics in Society. 

About the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society

In August 1985, the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society was created after WMU faculty across the curriculum met to discuss their common interests in studying and teaching ethics. Each academic year, the center sponsors 15 to 20 public presentations addressing a wide range of ethical issues. Originally sponsored by WMU’s Graduate College, the center is now housed in the College of Arts and Sciences.

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