Books in Changing Perspectives series

In the last century and a half, American higher education has set the standard for the college ideal: a robust student life, a sprawling physical campus, and a faculty whose research contributes to the broader national conversation. The articles in this collection show how this standard was the creation of government intervention, corporate financing, and the organizing of students and professors. Readers will discover the broad diversity of college experience, plus the growing challenges to sustain the college ideal in times of economic downturn and political division. Features such as media literacy terms and questions round out this fascinating narrative.

Sex and sexuality remain contentious issues in twenty-first century America, dividing the country across religious and cultural lines. This volume traces the evolution of attitudes on gay and lesbian issues, transgender identities, women's rights, and sexual behaviors and consent. Going from the mid-twentieth century to the present day, the articles speak to the ongoing debate as writers and journalists attempt to make sense of the diverse sexual expressions found in human society and document the struggles toward greater acceptance and tolerance.

Today's headlines shine light on the growing trend toward the legalization of marijuana, a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant whose use cuts across diverse classes of people. In this compilation of articles, readers encounter a journalistic history of cannabis use. Successive phases of fear (often coupled with racist attitudes toward Mexicans and Latinos) and embrace (by hippies, U.S. soldiers in Vietnam, and other segments of the counterculture) have often clouded sound judgment about the benefits and risks of the drug. These articles explore every facet of these diverse approaches, highlighting an array of medical, economic, and social perspectives on marijuana and those who use it.

"With the spate of mass shootings in schools and crowded public venues in recent decades, gun control in the United States has become a perennial topic in the national conversation. Conflicts in the debate on gun control include the Second Amendment, the NRA, common sense gun laws, public safety, and more. Through this collection of articles, readers will witness how the discussion of gun control has evolved from the 1960s through today, from the political assassinations of significant figures such as John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Orlando nightclub massacre and the school shooting in Parkland, Florida in 2018"--Provided by publisher.

Although abortion was officially decriminalized in the United States by the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, perspectives on abortion have always been, and remain today, radically different from state to state and person to person. Religion, access to birth control, the development of women's health care, and institutions such as Planned Parenthood are all at play in the public understanding of abortion. With recent changes in the Supreme Court causing uncertainty for the future of abortion access, the debate between pro-choice and pro-life advocates blazes on. Through this collection of articles, readers will discover stories of women's individual experiences, public protests, and groundbreaking U.S. legislation.

Women's roles in society have changed drastically, and as evidenced by the #MeToo movement and growing demands to close the gender pay gap, more work remains to be done to ensure full equality. Through this collection, readers may witness the work that has been done, from the time of the women's suffrage movement through the women's liberation movement and today's struggle to promote equality, all in the face of staunch opponents of feminism or expanding roles for women.

Global climate change is real. It is not new, and it is not fake news. The New York Times began reporting on climate change in the mid-twentieth century: Melting arctic ice in the 1940s. Increasingly warm average temperatures decade after decade. The fossil fuel industry inciting skepticism about global warming. And the United States' reluctance to commit to a reduction in carbon emissions that might negatively impact its economy. The story of human-made climate change unfolds through articles written at the time of the events. It ends with a clear explanation of what's at risk, and what readers can do to help.

Although abortion was officially decriminalized in the United States by the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, perspectives on abortion have always been, and remain today, radically different from state to state and person to person. Religion, access to birth control, the development of women's health care, and institutions such as Planned Parenthood are all at play in the public understanding of abortion. With recent changes in the Supreme Court causing uncertainty for the future of abortion access, the debate between pro-choice and pro-life advocates blazes on. Through this collection of articles, readers will discover stories of women's individual experiences, public protests, and groundbreaking U.S. legislation.

Despite human rights organizations' and the United Nations' calls to end the death penalty, the United States continues to use it, placing it in an unusual grouping with China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, among others. Yet, a 2018 Pew Poll reflected that most Americans still support capital punishment. This New York Times anthology includes over a century of perspectives on the subject, covering the advent of the electric chair and lethal injection, Supreme Court decisions on capital punishment's constitutionality, and today's renewed challenges to the death penalty in light of racial disparities in sentencing. Media literacy questions and terms challenge readers to further analyze reporting styles, devices, and the controversial subject of the death penalty.

Attitudes toward immigration have shifted over time, depending on political attitudes, the state of the economy, international conflict, and societal attitudes toward specific ethnic groups. This fascinating collection compiles articles that reflect the diverse and changing perspectives the public has held on immigration policy and immigrant groups over the decades. Today's reader will find that the passionate rhetoric making headlines today is not new, and in fact, with each generation, voices on both sides of the aisle have demanded change, be it tighter regulations or an ease on restrictions.

Despite human rights organizations' and the United Nations' calls to end the death penalty, the United States continues to use it, placing it in an unusual grouping with China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, among others. Yet, a 2018 Pew Poll reflected that most Americans still support capital punishment. This New York Times anthology includes over a century of perspectives on the subject, covering the advent of the electric chair and lethal injection, Supreme Court decisions on capital punishment's constitutionality, and today's renewed challenges to the death penalty in light of racial disparities in sentencing. Media literacy questions and terms challenge readers to further analyze reporting styles, devices, and the controversial subject of the death penalty.

Women's roles in society have changed drastically, and as evidenced by the #MeToo movement and growing demands to close the gender pay gap, more work remains to be done to ensure full equality. Through this collection, readers may witness the work that has been done, from the time of the women's suffrage movement through the women's liberation movement and today's struggle to promote equality, all in the face of staunch opponents of feminism or expanding roles for women.