In Spring 2024, Dr. Douglas L. Murray, Emeritus Professor, released his latest book, We Can Change the World: Tales from a Generation’s Quest for Peace and Justice.
A hemispheric sojourn from Santiago, Chile to Ottawa, Canada, We Can Change the World captures the passions and motivations of largely unknown actors through the civil rights, anti-Vietnam War and Women’s Liberation movements, the Cuban and Nicaraguan Revolutions, the Chilean Coup, the Salvadoran civil war, the South Africa anti-apartheid campaign, the struggle for Mayan cultural survival, human rights initiatives, and more. We Can Change the World is both homage and cautionary tale, bringing to life everyday people engaged in extra-ordinary acts, some noble and worthy of celebration, others tragically misguided. It is a unique revisiting of many of the defining moments of our times.
The American Sociological Association’s (ASA) Sociology of Development Section hosted a Book Author Talk on Friday, February 16, 2024, with Dr. Murray. View the recording here.
Early Praise for We Can Change the World:
“Douglas L. Murray writes brilliantly and comprehensively about an idealistic and ambitious generation born of and influenced by an ideologically chaotic period of world history. I recommend this book to all baby boomers and those who came after.” – Karen Walpole, Reader’s Favorite – 5 Stars
“…a unique approach to memoir…defined by a search for and commitment to fighting for social justice.” – Ron Jacobs, Life and Life Only, A Review, Counterpunch
“It’s amazing that the stories of the thousands and thousands of young people (and plenty of old ones, too) whose actions did indeed change the world, have remained untold…until now. Doug Murray has created an essential corrective to history as it is known. The stories are lively, vibrant, and essential to understanding not just the past, but the world we live in today.” – David Zeigler, filmmaker/director, Sir! No Sir!
“I tried to put off reading We Can Change the World in order to get caught up with some deadlines. My mistake was reading the first page. I couldn’t stop. What an amazing book it is. It reawakens the tragic and beautiful magic realism that underpinned those years for so many of us.” – Margaret Randall, author of I Never Left Home: Poet, Feminist, Revolutionary
“Beautifully written by a gifted storyteller. We Can Change the World brings to life our generation’s triumphs, tragedies, and ongoing passion for social justice. Destined to be one of the summer’s best reads.” – Craig McNamara, author of Because Our Fathers Lied: A Memoir of Truth and Family from Vietnam to Today
“A tribute to our generation, and an encouragement to moral imagination for those that follow.” – Lauren Coodley, author of Upton Sinclair: California Socialist, Celebrity Intellectual
Read recent reviews of Professor Murray‘s book here.
