What will become of us in these trying times? How will we pass the time that we have on earth? In gorgeously rendered graphic form, Light in Dark Times invites readers to consider these questions by exploring the political catastrophes and moral disasters of the past and present, revealing issues that beg to be studied, understood, confronted, and resisted. A profound work of anthropology and art, this book is for anyone yearning to understand the darkness and hoping to hold onto the light. It is a powerful story of encounters with writers, philosophers, activists, and anthropologists whose words are as meaningful today as they were during the times in which they were written. This book is at once a lament over the darkness of our times, an affirmation of the value of knowledge and introspection, and a consideration of truth, lies, and the dangers of the trivial. In a time when many of us struggle with the feeling that we cannot do enough to change the course of the future, this book is a call to action, asking us to envision and create an alternative world from the one in which we now live. Light in Dark Times is beautiful to look at and to hold - an exquisite work of art that is lively, informative, enlightening, deeply moving, and inspiring.

About the Author
Alisse Waterston is a Presidential Scholar and Professor of Anthropology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (CUNY). Charlotte Corden is an illustrator and fine artist who often works in the realms of anthropology.

Reviews
"Light in Dark Times contributes to our understanding of why the US is facing similar strategies of 'conflating opinion with truth' and the rise of 'alternative facts' that were used in Germany during the rise of the Nazi party. It also offers a number of important remedies to counter them: be introspective, avoid the trivial, participate in envisioning an alternative world, and engage in activities without exaggerated self-importance." -- Rachel Breunlin, University of New Orleans * Anthropology and Humanism *
"Light in Dark Times is one of the few books, anthropological or otherwise, I would call transcendent. Rarely has a volume been timelier, more engaging, or more accessible." -- Robert Myers, Alfred University * General Anthropology *
"This is a unique, non-fiction graphic novel that focuses on what anthropology study can lend to society. The artwork is particularly illuminating." -- 2020 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Committee
"If I were teaching graduate students in anthropology about the alluring, messy complexities within and about the discipline, this book would be a fine introduction. If I were teaching qualitative research methods and other means of narrating experience, the format and content would undoubtedly expand the student's repertoires of representation." -- Sue E. Estroff, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill * Perspectives in Biology and Medicine Journal *


Awards
Short-listed for 2021 PROSE Award Subject Category Association of American Publishers 2021 (United States).



Book Information
ISBN 9781487508852
Author Alisse Waterston
Format Hardback
Page Count 160
Imprint University of Toronto Press
Publisher University of Toronto Press
Weight(grams) 480g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 159mm * 19mm