PRODUCTS

African American males are confronted with formidable barriers in their pursuit of quality education, resulting in stark disparities in academic performance, economic opportunities, and social outcomes. Despite numerous educational initiatives striving for parity, African American males persistently bear the brunt of the highest rates of suspensions, expulsions, and dropout rates, surpassing all other demographic groups.

Educational environments often fail to acknowledge and integrate the cultural and social needs of Black males, viewing them as "problems" rather than recognizing their immense potential for academic and leadership success. The prevalence of negative stereotypes in media, particularly in video games, exacerbates societal biases, portraying African American males as inherently violent and criminal. These representations contribute to implicit biases that affect perceptions and treatment in real-life scenarios. The systemic issues within the education system, coupled with socioeconomic factors, result in African American males being underrepresented in advanced placement and gifted education programs. This underrepresentation limits their opportunities for higher education and professional advancement.

Confronting these challenges necessitates a comprehensive approach that encompasses the creation of inclusive educational environments, the eradication of systemic racism, and the promotion of positive representations of African American males in media. By acknowledging and fostering the potential of Black males, society can strive to reduce disparities and cultivate a more equitable and just education system that recognizes and celebrates their academic and professional achievements.

African American Males and Video Games explores the perspectives of four African American male college students aged 18 to 21 on the impact of video games on their academic growth and development. The participants, all maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher, shared their experiences with teachers, video games, and coping mechanisms. This qualitative approach allowed for a rich understanding of the participant's experiences and the role of video games in their academic and mental well-being.

Video games emerged as a significant coping tool for the participants, providing a mental escape from academic and social pressures. The games allowed them to engage in competitive and creative activities, fostering a sense of accomplishment and reducing stress. For example, games like NBA 2K21 and Forza Horizon 4 enabled them to explore alter egos and interests in a virtual space, offering entertainment and a sense of community.

African American Males and Video Games is a critical text for exploring alternatives in providing a quality education experience for young African American males. It is vital reading for educators in all areas of higher education, and a valuable teaching tool in Colleges of Education.

Perfect for courses such as: Educational Psychology; Sociology of Education; African American Studies; Media Studies; Game Design; Youth Development; Digital Literacy; Cultural Studies; Educational Technology; Social Psychology; Gender Studies

The central claim of this volume is that higher education institutions that seek to educate their students for freedom and liberation—the idea behind the liberal arts—must be prepared to embrace the truths they pursue and to lean into the reconciliation demanded by those truths. In other words, they must journey through truth to freedom, but only by way of reconciliation.

For Augsburg University, the truths interrogated delve deep into the heart of its faith tradition, academic mission, and commitment to social justice. Through appreciative and critical inquiry, the truths discovered demand reconciliation with the past so as to be freed for the work they are called to do as “informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders”—Augsburg’s mission! These essays offer a compelling example to other institutions about the important work of connecting past, present, and future—of seeking truth through freedom by way of reconciliation—work that is foundational to an institution’s mission, identity, and future planning.

Perfect for courses such as: Place Matters: Colleges and Universities as Anchors in their Communities; Introduction to Interfaith Learning, Leadership, and Living; History of Higher Education in America; Foundations of Democratic Engagement and Higher Education; Introduction to Experiential Education; Foundations of Higher Education Leadership

The intent of Challenges in (Re)designing EdD Programs: Supporting Change with Learning Cases is to provide faculty, who are seeking to redesign their EdD programs into professional practice doctorate, with case examples that describe common challenges and pitfalls encountered during the redesign process. Each of the cases portrays real situations generated from case study research conducted by the chapter authors. Each case is comprised of three parts: a) a contextual overview of the challenge or problem, b) case study notes that ground the challenge or problem in literature and provide deeper understanding of the issues at hand, and c) a set of discussion questions that will guide faculty in conversation about similar issues they may face in their own program redesign. This volume is an invaluable resource for program leaders, faculty, and graduate students involved in EdD programs.

A 2023 SPE Outstanding Book Award Winner

At a time when many individuals and institutions are reexamining their histories to better understand their tangled roots of racism and oppression, Reckoning: Kalamazoo College Uncovers Its Racial and Colonial Past tells the story of how American ideas about colonialism and race shaped Kalamazoo College, a progressive liberal arts institution in the Midwest. Beginning with its founding in 1833 during the era of Indian Removal, the book follows the development of the college through the Civil War, the long period of racial entrenchment that followed Reconstruction, minstrel shows performed on campus in the 1950s during the rise of the Civil Rights movement, Black student activism in the wake of Martin Luther King’s assassination, the quest for multiculturalism in the 1990s, and the recent activism of a changing student body. This close look at the colonial and racial history of one institution reveals academia’s investment in White supremacy and the permutations and contradictions of race and racism in higher education. Though the details are unique to Kalamazoo, other predominantly White colleges and universities would have similar historical trajectories, for in the end our institutional histories reflect the history of the United States. By examining the ways in which a progressive, midwestern college has absorbed, resisted, and perpetuated American systems of colonialism and racism, the book challenges higher education to use this moment to make the deep, structural changes necessary to eliminate disparities in experiences and outcomes among students of color and their White peers. Reckoning is a volume that can be used in a variety of courses that deal with topics such as History of Education, Social Justice in Higher Education, and more.

Perfect for courses such as: Pursuing Diversity, Inclusion, Justice, and Equity │ Education and Cultural Studies │ Exploring Whiteness │ Inquiry in Postsecondary Education │ Proseminar in Adult and Higher Education │ Education and Social Struggle in the U.S., WWII – Present │ Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Student Affairs │Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education │ History of American Education │ Diversity in Higher Education

Remixed and Reimagined: Innovations in Religion, Spirituality, and (Inter)faith in Higher Education is a new edited book that invites readers to rethink and re-examine the traditional paradigms in which religion, spirituality, and interfaith (RSI) have been studied within higher education and student affairs settings. This volume introduces new theoretical frameworks that enrich and enliven the study of RSI, making it more dynamic, inclusive, and, most importantly, innovative. It is framed by a commitment to social justice and intersectionality, while centering the narratives of the religiously marginalized. The text is divided into two units. The first unit explores new and emergent frameworks for analyzing and interpreting RSI in higher education and student affairs. The second unit puts various theoretical frameworks into practice, while highlighting the often-marginalized voices of the religiously minoritized. The book concludes with a call for researchers to begin exploring the new proposed horizons within the study of RSI in higher education and student affairs. This text is perfect for graduate level seminars in higher education and student affairs programs. It is also an invaluable resource for researchers and scholars.

Perfect for courses such as:
Religion in Popular Culture | Religion and Spirituality in Higher Education | Introduction to the Study of Religion | Introduction to Interfaith (Multifaith studies) | Interfaith Dialogue on Campus | Introduction to Queer Studies | Contemporary Issues in LGBTQ Studies | Introduction to Diversity | Masters of Education (Graduate Level) | Politics of Difference | Diversity and Identity | Diverse Issues in Higher Education | Student Affairs