social conditions

"Since the civil war in Syria began in 2011, over 500,000 civilians have been killed and more than 12 million Syrians have been displaced. Rania Abouzeid, one of the foremost journalists on the topic, follows two pairs of sisters from opposite sides of the conflict to give readers a firsthand glimpse of the turmoil and devastation this strife has wrought. Sunni Muslim Ruha and her younger sister Alaa withstand constant attacks by the Syrian government in rebel-held territory. Alawite sisters Hanin and Jawa try to carry on as normal in the police state of regime-held Syria.The girls grow up in a world where nightly bombings are routine and shrapnel counts as toys. They bear witness to arrests, killings, demolished homes, and further atrocities most adults could not imagine. Still, war does not dampen their sense of hope. Through the stories of Ruha and Alaa and Hanin and Jawa, Abouzeid presents a clear-eyed and page-turning account of the complex conditions in Syria leading to the onset of the harrowing conflict"--Provided by publisher.

Razia, a girl in Afghanistan, wants to attend Razia Jan's girls' school the Zabuli Education Center for Girls, but first she must get her father and brother's permission.

"Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist. In the 1950s, she helped end racial segregation in the United States. Rosa took a stand for the rights of all African Americans. She set an example of peaceful protest. Find out more in Rosa Parks, one of the titles in History Makers: Past and Present"--Back cover.

"Split between two periods in her life, 'Yasmeen' tells the story of an Iraqi girl's struggles to survive slavery in the ISIS terrorist regime in Mosul. In 2014, Yasmeen was a happy sixteen-year-old when she was captured by the ISIS invading army and is forced to find the courage within herself to endure slavery. Then, after surviving the horrific ordeal of two long years in captivity, she is freed but has become a different person. Unable to connect to the things that she once loved, she must endure a different kind of struggle as she tries to adjust to normal life with her family as refugees in a foreign country, America."--Back cover.

"Palestinian youth and the fight for their village Silwan is a Palestinian village located just outside the ancient walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. Determined to Stay: Voices of Silwan is a moving story of a village and its people. As Silwani youth and community members share their lives with us, their village becomes an easily accessible way to understand Palestinian history and current reality. Written with young people in mind, the richly illustrated text stresses connections between the lives of youth in the US and Palestine: criminalization of youth, forced relocation, the impact of colonialism on Indigenous communities, efforts to bury history, and inspiring examples of resistance and resilience"--Provided by publisher.

Explores the history of China, discussing its social life, customs, leaders, wars and more.

Simple text and illustrations introduce young readers to the life of Malala Yousafzai.

A critique of white American class structure, arguing that the paths of social mobility that once advanced the nation are now serving to further isolate an elite upper class while enforcing a growing and resentful white underclass.

". . . [the author] reveals the driving force behind the resurgence of populism: the tyranny of the meritocracy and the resentments it produces"--.

Explore how the rise of modern liberalism, which stresses the dual forces of radical egalitarianism and radical individualism, has undermined American culture, intellect, and morality.