Cases on Social Issues: For Class Discussion - 2nd Edition

Reviewed by Adriana Molina Garzon, Assistant Professor, University of New Mexico on 5/16/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book consists of short and easy-to-follow cases, focused on the issues of discrimination, equity, inclusion, and social justice, among others. The events are portrayed in a comprehensive, yet simple and realistic way. It´s an excellent source for a stimulating discussion about social issues and it encourages critical thinking, analysis, judgment, and decision-making among the students.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The cases describe facts and events in detail. Some cases need additional background information or supplementary footnotes to understand better the scenarios and their complexities. This, however, can be an opportunity for the students to seek additional contextual information surrounding the facts or the dilemmas.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Although the cases refer particularly to situations that occur in Canada, they are timeless and refer to issues that apply to various cultural contexts.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing is clear, concise, and easy to read. The terminology is understandable and each case is supplemented with discussion guidelines and questions, notes for teaching strategies, and other reading sources

Consistency rating: 5

The text follows consistent terminology across the different cases presented. Whenever is needed new terminology is sufficiently explained.

Modularity rating: 5

This is the greatest strength of the book. The cases are diverse and can be used for various learning purposes and in various contexts. It is up to the educator to decide on their use, applicability, and analytical approach.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is well organized and the overall structure is easy to follow.

Interface rating: 4

The text is accompanied by images that do not necessarily contribute to the discussion. It is an aspect that could be improved in future editions.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I didn't find any grammatical errors on the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is sensitive to the issues of gender, race, living conditions, etc. in various contexts. From this perspective, it is inclusive and also promotes discussions around the issues of equity and social justice. Students can learn how better to engage in a conversation and see beyond their own biases.

Very interesting cases of study, well presented and well-suited for class discussions.