Today, millions of social activists around the world, working for the betterment of society, are showing signs of despair and hopelessness. Many are expressing loss of hope and direction. The author describes the atrocities and injustices of the world, which have shown us high tolls of death rates, poverty, malnutrition and widening gaps between the rich and the poor. This huge disparity of globalization is highly prevalent all around the world and is worsening on a daily basis. The poorest are becoming poorer and the richer are gaining more and becoming stronger. The carnage being committed on humans by humans is gaining steadily and violence has become the norm of human existence. Human freedom is being cruelly repressed.
‘Transforming Ourselves Transforming the World’ focuses on the activists who are struggling to confront these injustices. It refers to values such as peace, dignity and justice and proposes a framework for action and learning. This framework called ‘political epistemology’ explains that a positive and progressive social organization is not only possible but also natural whereby humans are inherently capable of resisting repression and oppression. It directly deals with the inertia in each individual that prevents him from taking a step towards change. It explores human capacities and capabilities to change the present situation and presents strategies that will help us initiate the transformation process. Individuals are guided to conspire together and assist individuals of our world with the right to choose freedom and make it a reality. This book is a wake–up call for the human spirit, which bestows upon us the liberation, to know, understand and change.
The book targets community organizers, potential activists, young adults and students, progressive educators, social theorists and scholars who have all their lives aimed towards gaining insights into a social struggle and who want to fight against the injustices of the world. It helps them bring their thoughts on struggle for freedom to reality.
Murphy has worked as a social activist focusing on areas such as literacy, poverty, gender, race and class issues especially the rights of immigrants and refugees. This book emerged from his adamant resolve to engage with people as mutual subjects of their own lives and history.
