300s: Tough Topics: Series Nonfiction on Global Issues

The approaches taken by current nonfiction series to tackle social issues—including the use of case studies and personal narratives—are as diverse as the issues themselves. The wide variety of topics addressed by the series below ranges from global organizations and the ethics of scientific advancement to hot-button environmental debates and countries in conflict.

Gr 7-9–This series examines the multifaceted effects of globalization on the world’s people. Each author presents the economic, social, political, and environmental repercussions, both positive and negative, of the issue at hand. The high-quality color photographs are accompanied by value-added captions, and charts are clear and helpful in drawing meaning from the text. A closing summary feature called “The Great Debate” reinforces the arguments addressed throughout. Compared to the “Global Questions” series, this one takes sophistication only slightly higher, periodically oversimplifies subject matter, and sometimes fails to indicate sources of statistics.

Gr 5-8–This series showcases today’s most pressing social issues. Each author provides historical context and discusses implications for the future. Scientific explanations are clear and easily understood. “Forum” boxes offer quotes from relevant experts, whose opinions often highlight contrasting views on subjects such as genetic modification in Food. Chapter heads are posed as questions, a bonus for any media specialist seeking to illustrate the importance of using questions to guide research. The books have high-quality photographs and charts, but their layout is a bit more cramped than the publisher’s other series discussed in this article.

Gr 5-8–Though “Changing World” resembles the “Countries in Crisis” series (Rourke), a few simple differences in its organizational approach render its titles more accessible. Chapter headings are self-explanatory, providing a direct path from basic facts and history through social, political, economic, and (except in Iraq and Israel), environmental changes to current issues and future challenges. Straightforward text is accompanied by high-quality photographs, which capture both the beauty and turmoil of each country, and by boxed features such as brief case studies, e.g., “The Pashtuns” in Afghanistan, and discussions of issues such as the road map for peace in the Middle East in Israel. Afghanistan acknowledges that many of that country’s warlords were funded by the U.S. to oppose the Taliban, and that relationships between Afghanis and foreign troops are strained. The U.S. occupation is less an emphasis in this title than in Iraq, which devotes much more space to its responsibility for the country’s current state of affairs. The clear, direct text stumbles at times in slightly confusing statements concerning the status of freedom of religion in China and primary education in Iran, but overall the series breaks down difficult issues into easily digestible explanations.

Gr 4-6–Clear chapter headings and subheadings enhance this series, which covers the early and recent history of these troubled locations as well as “Prospects for the Future.” Phrasing concerning political controversies is much stronger in its criticism of U.S. actions than in the “Changing World” series. For example, subtitles in the “Invasion” chapter in Iraq include “Chaos Reigns” and “Ruined Infrastructure,” and the text states that “In all five [coalition] countries there were bitter objections to the war, which their governments ignored.” The text in Israel and Palestine adequately balances the concerns of each side. Color and black-and-white photographs steer clear of depicting violence. Images of a refugee camp in Sudan, for example, are from a distance, creating only the impression of a dusty, desolate tent city. However, multiple fonts and an overabundance of pop-out fact boxes create a scattered, choppy effect, rendering it difficult to follow the flow of the text. Still, these books’ simple phrasing and bare-bones detail might aid students looking for the most basic of introductions to the crises at hand.

Gr 7-9–Each title examines its particular form of violence through famous case studies, brief historical information, research into origins and causes, and potential solutions. Unlike other series addressed here, this one approaches its subject matter from a distinctly American vantage point, only mentioning international examples as side notes. Brutality is described, but never in a gratuitous manner, and the photographs are sensitively chosen. In School, for example, a photograph of the Virginia Tech killer is included, but not during the attack; and Domestic Violenceshows only one image of a victim, albeit depicting a close-up of a bruised and swollen face. The books are clearly aimed at understanding violence for the sake of avoiding future incidents, and the case studies are couched in analysis and commentary that help them to steer clear of glorification. The Web site page directs readers to a URL on the Rosen site that will be updated regularly.

Gr 7-9–These books address the ethical quandaries inherent in technological innovation and scientific advances. The texts are easy to navigate as evocative photographs, charts, and sidebars help break down complicated arguments into manageable parts for easy digestion. Thought-provoking questions posed in “You Decide” features challenge readers to carry understanding to the next level. For example, the chapter on “new foods” and biotechnology in Food poses the question: “Is it acceptable to alter the genetic structure of an organism just for profit?” In Power, a box asks: “Are agreements like the Kyoto Protocol the best way to tackle global warming, or will new technologies provide an answer?” This series fills its pages with a greater degree of depth than others reviewed here.

To provide a well-rounded, concise, thoughtful series that adequately encapsulates thorny, constantly changing issues is a daunting challenge, and these books meet this challenge with slightly varying degrees of success. All are nearly equal in their transparent focus on debate and questioning, so important in students’ early research into controversial issues. “The Global Village,” for example, accomplishes this through its “Have Your Say” features. The most common pitfall in boiling down big issues, oversimplification, is hard to avoid, and has been mentioned above where notable. “Dilemmas in Modern Science” and “Changing World” are particularly strong in avoiding this trap. Though these series can’t offer the depth and currency required for a full examination of their respective social issues, they will help students seeking a foundation of facts prior to consulting more comprehensive current events sources.

The Big Questions: Series Nonfiction on Current Issues (Spring 2009)