What We’re Reading Now
Each semester, the Anthropology and Sociology faculty at Lewis & Clark College compile a curated list of readings they are engaging with. These selections span a wide range, from influential works within the disciplines of sociology and anthropology, to literary fiction and beyond.
Fall 2025
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The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thomas “This book describes many activists and groups, both in the United States and overseas, who are engaged in intersectionally-informed work to combat pollution, climate change, and other eco-threats! This is a very inspiring and important book that all SOAN folks would benefit from checking out!” - Bruce Podobnik, Associate Professor of Sociology |
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Offshore by Brooke Harrington “Offshore is the most powerful sociology book I’ve read this year. It describes how the wealthy avoid taxation, and explores the links between colonialism and the creation of offshore tax havens. Beyond being a great example of publicly accessible sociological writing, it makes a strong case for seeing offshore tax havens as the root cause of many of our social, economic, and political problems today. If you’re interested in public policy, global inequality, or political economy, this is a stellar book to check out. “ - Maryann Bylander, Professor of Sociology and SOAN Department Chair |
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Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli “Beautiful and powerful storytelling; fiercely personal and political. Timely and urgent: a semi-autobiographical story about parents and children caught in the violence of US-Mexican border crossing and dislocation.” - Sepideh Bajracharya, Assistant Professor of Anthropology with Term |
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The Book Censor’s Library by Bothayna Al-Essa “Translated from Arabic, The Book Censor’s Library: A Novel is a Kafkaesque, dystopian satire that combines 1984 with Alice In Wonderland in a way that reflects concerns about contemporary censorship in rather frightening ways.” - Jennifer Hubbert, Professor of Anthropology and Asian Studies |
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The Anthropologists by Aysegül Savas “Beyond the obvious title and cool cover image, Savas’ work is both intimate and strange. The dreamy sense of learning oneself as we walk the streets of a new city.” - Kabir Mansingh Heimsath, Assistant Professor of Anthropology with term, Director of Asian Studies |
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You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue “You Dreamed of Empires is a reimagining of the arrival of the Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes to what is current-day Mexico City, at the height of the Aztec empire. It blends magical realism with biting humor and a richly evocative description of the Aztec royal court that made me think about the fragility of empires across history.” - Sarah Warren, Associate Professor of Sociology, Executive Director of Community Partnerships |
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The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien “Coming very late to the game, I am finally reading The Lord of the Rings. Like so many before, I am captivated by the vivid description of the physical world, the unrushed pace of the narrative, and the mythical style of dialogue. I am also chewing on the portrayal of otherness and affinity, a theme that has been so central to anthropology. The experience is taking me back to Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Trilogy, which resonates with anthropology in ways that reflect the fact that the author’s father was the renowned American anthropologist Alfred Kroeber. Inspired by these works, next up I’ll be taking a look at a series of posts on Speculative Anthropologies published by the Society for Cultural Anthropology.” - Oren Kosansky, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Director of Middle East and North African Studies |
