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Youth in Contemporary India
by Parul BansalThis book endeavors to be a study of identity in Indian urban youth. It is concerned with understanding the psychological themes of conformity, rebellion, individuation, relatedness, initiative and ideological values which pervade youths' search for identity within the Indian cultural milieu, specifically the Indian family. In its essence, the book attempts to explore how in contemporary India the emerging sense of individuality in youth is seeking its own balance of relationality with parental figures and cohesion with social order. The research questions are addressed to two groups of young men and women in the age group of 20-29 years-Youth in Corporate sector and Youth in Non Profit sector. Methodologically, the study is a psychoanalytically informed, process oriented, context sensitive work that proceeds via narrations, conversations and in-depth life stories of young men and women. Overall, the text reflects on the nature of inter-generational continuity and shifts in India.
Youth in India: Aspirations, Attitudes, Anxieties
by Sanjay KumarThis book explores the attitudes, anxieties and aspirations of India’s burgeoning young population in a globalised world. Drawing upon time-series survey data of the Indian youth aged between 15 and 34 years across 19 Indian states, it provides key insights into a range of themes along with an overview of the changing trends and patterns of their behaviour. The volume examines the job preferences of the Indian youth, their career priorities and opinions on reservations in employment and education sectors. It measures their degree of political participation and studies their attitude regarding political issues. It looks at aspects relating to their social and cultural contexts, preferences and practices, including lifestyle choices, consumption habits and social customs such as marriage, as they negotiate between tradition and modernity. Further, it discusses the anxieties and insecurities that the youth face, their mental health and their experiences of social discrimination. The essays here offer an understanding of a critical demographic and shed light on the challenges and opportunities that the Indian youth confront today. Lucid, accessible and empirically grounded, this volume will be useful to scholars and researchers of sociology, political sociology, political studies, youth psychology and anthropology as well as policymakers, journalists and the interested general reader.
Youth in Superdiverse Societies: Growing up with globalization, diversity, and acculturation (Studies in Adolescent Development)
by Peter Titzmann Philipp JugertYouth in Superdiverse Societies brings together theoretical, methodological and international approaches to the study of globalization, diversity, and acculturation in adolescence. It examines vital issues including migration, integration, cultural identities, ethnic minorities, and the interplay of ethnic and cultural diversity with experiences of growing up as an adolescent. This important volume focuses on understanding the experiences and consequences of multicultural societies and offers valuable new insights in the field of intergroup relations and the complexity of growingly heterogeneous societies. The book comprises four sections. The first includes fresh theoretical perspectives for studying youth development in multicultural societies, exploring topics such as superdiversity, globalization, bicultural identity development, polyculturalism, the interplay of acculturation and development, as well as developmental-ecological approaches. The second section highlights innovative methods in studying multicultural societies. It contains innovative dynamic concepts (e.g., experience-based sampling), methods for studying the nested structure of acculturative contexts, and suggestions for cross-comparative research to differentiate universal and context-specific processes. The third section examines social relations and social networks in diverse societies and features developmentally crucial contexts (e.g., family, peers, schools) and contributions on interethnic interactions in real-life contexts. The final section presents applications in natural settings and includes contributions on participatory action research and teachers dealings' with ethnic diversity. Each chapter provides a thorough overview of current research trends and findings, followed by detailed recommendations for future research, suggesting how the approaches can be cited, applied and improved. Youth in Superdiverse Societies is valuable reading for students studying adolescent acculturation and development in psychology, sociology, education, anthropology, linguistics and political science. It will also be of interest to scholars and researchers in social and developmental psychology, and related disciplines, as well as professionals in the field of migration.
Youth Mental Health: Approaches to Emerging Mental Ill-Health in Young People
by Alison R. Yung Jack Cotter Patrick D. McGorryThis book highlights the field of youth mental health and why it is a specialty distinct from both child and adolescent and adult mental health. Youth Mental Health: Approaches to Emerging Mental Ill-Health in Young People examines issues such as mental health literacy, e-Health, family, psychological, vocational and pharmacological interventions. The authors also discuss issues that are particularly pertinent to young people, such as suicidality, substance abuse, gender identity and sexuality, attention deficit disorder and eating disorders. Taking a preventative focus, this book presents evidence for youth mental health as an important and growing field, makes the case for the reform of existing service structures to better serve this group and outlines the latest specialised approaches to treatment. Drawing on the knowledge and expertise of leading thinkers in youth mental health, this book is instrumental for mental health professionals who wish to design new specialised mental health systems for young people.
Youth Mental Health Crises and the Broken Social Link: A Freudian-Lacanian Perspective
by Carl WaitzThis book critically examines the circumstances surrounding the failure of rites of passage in U.S. society and its relationship with the mental health crisis overtaking youth in America today.The book develops a Freudian understanding of rites of initiation and the larger social link, based on Freud’s psychoanalytic myths read through a Lacanian lens. It further surveys the deterioration of common civil identifications in the United States, the advancement of consumer capitalism in the late 20th century, and the development of social media in the 21st century as each composing a tectonic shift destabilizing the traditional function of the rite of initiation. As a result, adolescents today have no reliable method of entering the social link through symbolic identification, nor the ability to use it to bind their libido. The book traces the clinical consequences of this failure to the recent waves of mass psychogenic illness in adolescents, the rocketing increase in psychiatric hospitalizations, and the dramatic rise in suicidal thoughts and behaviours in the past years. It also offers possible pathways forward for both adolescents and psychoanalytic clinicians working with them.Drawing on multiple psychoanalytic schools of thought and clinical experience, this book is a vital resource for psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, and clinicians working with adolescents.
Youth On Religion: The development, negotiation and impact of faith and non-faith identity
by Nicola Madge Peter Hemming Kevin StensonGlobalisation has led to increasing cultural and religious diversity in cities around the world. What are the implications for young people growing up in these settings? How do they develop their religious identities, and what roles do families, friends and peers, teachers, religious leaders and wider cultural influences play in the process? Furthermore, how do members of similar and different cultural and faith backgrounds get on together, and what can young people tell us about reducing conflict and promoting social solidarity amid diversity? Youth On Religion outlines the findings from a unique large-scale project investigating the meaning of religion to young people in three multi-faith locations. Drawing on survey data from over 10,000 young people with a range of faith positions, as well as a series of fascinating interviews, discussion groups and diary reports involving 160 adolescents, this book examines myriad aspects of their daily lives. It provides the most comprehensive account yet of the role of religion for young people growing up in contemporary, multicultural urban contexts. Youth On Religion is a rigorous and engaging account of developing religiosity in a changing society. It presents young people’s own perspectives on their attitudes and experiences and how they negotiate their identities. The book will be an instructive and valuable resource for psychologists, sociologists, criminologists, educationalists and anthropologists, as well as youth workers, social workers and anyone working with young people today. It will also provide essential understanding for policy makers tackling issues of multiculturalism in advanced societies.
Youth Participation and Learning: Critical Perspectives on Citizenship Practices in Europe (Young People and Learning Processes in School and Everyday Life #7)
by Zulmir Bečević Björn AnderssonThis book contributes to the studies on learning processes occurring outside “traditional” socialization settings such as family and school, by analysing civic and political participation and learning experiences. In this perspective, the book delves into the connections between the concepts of learning and participation and, in various ways and from different perspectives, critically interrogates learning and participation as interrelated phenomena, with the aim of revealing complexities implicated in pathways to adulthood. Being interdisciplinary in its nature (contributors come from disciplinary backgrounds such as educational sciences, child and youth studies, social work, sociology and political science), the volume provides an up-to date analysis of contemporary issues connected to youth participation and learning. The work taps into central areas of everyday life of young people and youth meaning-making and generates and presents qualitative knowledge about what it means to be young in Europe today.
Youth Quotas and other Efficient Forms of Youth Participation in Ageing Societies
by Jörg Tremmel Antony Mason Petter Haakenstad Godli Igor DimitrijoskiThis book examines ways to ensure that the rights, interests and concerns of young people are properly represented in Western democracies. One new proposal is the introduction of youth quotas in political institutions in order to counter the possible marginalization of young people caused by demographic ageing and, thereby, an overrepresentation of the interests of the elderly. The book explores key questions regarding the implementation of youth quotas from different perspectives, including philosophy, political science, sociology and demography. It examines whether youth quotas and other measures that give the young more voice and influence in political institutions are a good means for promoting the cause of intergenerational justice. In particular, it investigates how and if youth quotas can be used to ensure that the environmental interests of young and future generations are being taken into account. In addition, the book introduces an innovative model that would give a right to vote to minors without voting age boundaries. The book also discusses suffrage reforms through lowering the voting age in Western countries, as well as introducing methods especially aimed at raising the skills of children necessary for societal citizenship and empowerment of young citizens. The volume will help raise awareness and knowledge about the intergenerational implications of demographic changes in Western democracies, where ageing societies are increasingly turning into gerontocracies. It offers readers deep insight into how youth quotas in particular (and others forms of youth participation in general) might be efficient methods to ensure that younger generations are included in the political decision making process and other activities in society.
Youth Resilience and Culture
by Linda C. Theron Linda Liebenberg Michael UngarUntil researchers and theorists account for the complex relationship between resilience and culture, explanations of why some individuals prevail in the face of adversity will remain incomplete. This edited volume addresses this crucial issue by bringing together emerging discussions of the ways in which culture shapes resilience, the theory that informs these various studies, and important considerations for researchers as they continue to investigate resilience. Using research from majority and minority world contexts, 'Youth Resilience and Culture: Commonalities and Complexities' highlights that non-stereotypical, critical appreciation of the cultural systems in which youth are embedded, and/or affiliate with, is pivotal to understanding why particular resilience processes matter for particular youth in a particular life-world at a particular point in time. In doing so, this book sensitizes readers to the importance of accounting for the influence of cultural contexts on resilience processes, and to the danger of conceptualising and/or operationalising resilience, culture, and their interplay, simplistically or idealistically. In short, the progressive contents of 'Youth Resilience and Culture: Commonalities and Complexities' make it an essential read for resilience-focused scholars, students, academics, and researchers, as well as policy makers, practitioners, and humanitarian workers engaged with high-risk populations.
Youth Soccer: From Science to Performance
by Thomas Reilly Dave Richardson Gareth Stratton A. Mark WilliamsAs the adult game has increased in popularity, youth soccer has also seen significant expansion in recent years. The popularity of the youth game is set to continue. Young boy and girl players wish to emulate professional soccer stars and the professional game, often with long-term financial rewards in mind, is increasingly keen to develop young talent. Applied sports science is now a well-established feature of the adult game but the sports science that supports modern football does not translate directly into the youth game. The coaches of young players need specific information about children. Themes explored in this text include: growth of physiological systems development of motor and perceptive skills paediatric environmental physiology prevention of injury diet and nutrition youth fitness and skills training effective teaching and coaching of juniors the role of football academies. Youth Soccer: From Science to Performance blends current child-focused sports science theory with youth-specific coaching practice to help create soccer development strategies for children. It promotes knowledge and understanding in all these areas and will further professional expertise amongst coaches who wish to develop the all year round potential of youth soccer players and train the stars of the future.
Youth Suicide Prevention and Intervention: Best Practices and Policy Implications (SpringerBriefs in Psychology)
by John P. Ackerman Lisa M. HorowitzThis open access book focuses on the public health crisis of youth suicide and provides a review of current research and prevention practices. It addresses important topics, including suicide epidemiology, suicide risk detection in school and medical settings, critical cultural considerations, and approaches to lethal means safety. This book offers cutting-edge research on emerging discoveries in the neurobiology of suicide, psychopharmacology, and machine learning. It focuses on upstream suicide prevention research methods and details how cost-effective approaches can mitigate youth suicide risk when implemented at a universal level. Chapters discuss critical areas for future research, including how to evaluate the effectiveness of suicide prevention and intervention efforts, increase access to mental health care, and overcome systemic barriers that undermine generalizability of prevention strategies. Finally, this book highlights what is currently working well in youth suicide prevention and, just as important, which areas require more attention and support. Key topics include: The neurobiology of suicide in at-risk children and adolescents.The role of machine learning in youth suicide prevention.Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention in schools.Suicide risk screening and assessment in medical settings.Culturally informed risk assessment and suicide prevention efforts with minority youth.School mental health partnerships and telehealth models of care in rural communities.Suicide and self-harm prevention and interventions for LGBTQ+ youth.Risk factors associated with suicidal behavior in Black youth.Preventing suicide in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). Youth Suicide Prevention and Intervention is a must-have resource for policy makers and related professionals, graduate students, and researchers in child and school psychology, family studies, public health, social work, law/criminal justice, sociology, and all related disciplines.
Youth Unemployment in the 1980s: Its Psychological Effects (Routledge Library Editions: Work & Society)
by Philip Ullah Michael H. BanksYouth unemployment is one of the most critical problems generated by any recession. Widespread changes in the structure of the youth labour market, together with the increasing affluence amongst the employed, meant that the experience of unemployment for young people in the 1970s and 1980s was quite different from that of previous decades. Originally published in 1988, this book examines the psychological consequence of prolonged periods of joblessness among a national cohort of 16-19 year olds. It places the problem in a historical context and then examines evidence for the effect of unemployment on the work ethic, motivation to work, the search for jobs, psychological health, political views, lifestyles and early careers. Particular attention is paid to gender and ethnic group differences. Original research was integrated with existing literature with the aim of bringing together a wide variety of studies and theoretical positions previously dispersed throughout the literature.
Youth with Depression and Anxiety: Moods That Overwhelm
by Kenneth Mcintosh Phyllis LivingstonDid you know that as many as 8 percent of teens experience anxiety or depression, and as many as 70 to 90 percent will use substances such as alcohol or illicit drugs at some time? Other young people are living with life-threatening diseases including HIV infection and cancer, as well as chronic psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disease and schizophrenia. Still other teens have the challenge of being "different" from peers because they are intellectually gifted, are from another culture, or have trouble controlling their behavior or socializing with others. All youth with challenges experience additional stresses compared to their typical peers. The good news is that there are many resources and supports available to help these young people, as well as their friends and families. The stories contained in each book of this series also contain factual information that will enhance your own understanding of the particular condition being presented. If you or someone you know is struggling with a similar condition or experience, this series can give you important information about where and how you can get help. After reading these stories, we hope that you will be more open to the differences you encounter in your peers and more willing to get to know others who are "different." --Carolyn Bridgemohan, M.D.
Youth with Gender Issues: Seeking an Identity
by Kenneth Mcintosh Ida WalkerThis book examines the challenges of growing adolescents with gender issues.
Youth with HIV/AIDS: Living with the Diagnosis
by Kenneth Mcintosh Ida WalkerThis book examines the challenges of growing adolescents who have HIV/AIDS.
Youth with Juvenile Schizophrenia: The Search for Reality (Helping Youth with Mental, Physical, and Social Challenges)
by Kenneth Mcintosh Phyllis LivingstonJosh Bruner is used to being the hero, the helper at Shore View High--but all that changes suddenly when a mysterious voice begins to harass him. In the following weeks, Josh becomes convinced he has special powers and a unique destiny; he also fears that the people closest to him are in real danger. He's determined to obey the voices and rescue his family and friends, even if it costs him everything. Eventually, crushed by his own actions, Josh struggles to define reality and reconstruct his shattered life.
Youth Without Family to Lean On: Global Challenges and Local Interventions
by Shula Mozes Moshe IsraelashviliYouth Without Family to Lean On draws together interdisciplinary, global perspectives to provide a comprehensive review of the characteristics, dynamics, and development of youth (aged 15–25) who have no family to lean on, either practically or psychologically.In this timely volume, Mozes and Israelashvili bring together leading international experts to present updated knowledge, information on existing interventions, and unanswered questions in relation to youth without family to lean on, in pursuit of fostering these youth’s positive development. The various chapters in this book include discussions on different topics such as social support, developing a sense of belonging, parental involvement, and internalized vs. externalized problems; on populations, including homeless youth, residential care-leavers, refugees, asylum-seekers, young women coming from vulnerable families, and school dropouts; and interventions to promote these youths' mentoring relationships, labor market attainment, out-of-home living placements, use of IT communication, and participation in community-based programs. Additionally, various problems and challenges are presented and elaborated on, such as: Who needs support? Who is qualified to provide support? How should related interventions be developed? The book takes a preventive approach and aims to emphasize steps that can be taken in order to promote young people’s positive development in spite of the absence of a family to rely on in their life and examines the best practices in this context, as well as the international lessons that deserve further dissemination and exploration. This book is essential reading for those in psychology, sociology, public health, social work, law, criminology, public policy, economics, and education and is highly enriching for scholars and practitioners, as well as higher education students, who wish to understand and help the gradually increasing number of youth who are forced, too early, to manage their life alone.
You've Changed: Sex Reassignment And Personal Identity
by Laurie J. ShrageIs sex identity a feature of one's mind or body, and is it a relational or intrinsic property? Who is in the best position to know a person's sex, do we each have a true sex, and is a person's sex an alterable characteristic? When a person's sex assignment changes, has the old self disappeared and a new one emerged; or, has only the public presentation of one's self changed? <P><P>"You've Changed" examines the philosophical questions raised by the phenomenon of sex reassignment, and brings together the essays of scholars known for their work in gender, sexuality, queer, and disability studies, feminist epistemology and science studies, and philosophical accounts of personal identity. An interdisciplinary contribution to the emerging field of transgender studies, it will be of interest to students and scholars in a number of disciplines.
You've Got Dragons
by Kathryn CaveWorries, fears, and anxieties are all dragons that sneak up on most of us at one time or another. Sometimes you need some help defeating your dragons.Lots of people get dragons. Even really really good people get them. And sometimes they're hard to get rid of. So what can a young boy with a bad case of the dragons do? He can pretend they are not there, or that they are really quite harmless. Hugs from his mom help. Looking his dragon straight in the eye at least once every day helps even more. But most reassuring of all is the reminder that dragons don't stay forever.You've Got Dragons provides real, actionable advice on handling stress and provides good inspiration for conversation and creative coping.
You've Got This: Seven Steps to a Life You Love
by Michaela DunbarFrom a rising clinical psychologist and founder of Instagram’s @myeasytherapy, an accessible, life-enhancing guide to reframing self-doubt and negative thought patterns to unlock your potential.?We all experience self-doubt and anxiety at certain points throughout our lives, some of us more often and more intensely than others. Anxiety is an emotion, a chemical reaction, and a fundamental part of being human. It can help us to stay alert and focused, spur us to action, and motivate us to solve problems. But left unchecked, it can have the opposite effect, holding us back and preventing us from living the lives we want.In You’ve Got This, Dr. Michaela Dunbar introduces the program she’s developed after years of helping ambitious women master their anxiety and overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Through her clinical practice as well as engaging with thousands of women through her online platform, Dr. Michaela has identified the seven key ways high-functioning anxiety can manifest in our lives, from people pleasing to becoming overwhelmed to the obsession with perfectionism, and shows us how to transform negative thoughts and paralyzing emotions into positive action.Dr. Michaela’s goal is to help you struggle less and thrive more. Instead of succumbing to self-doubt, Dr. Michaela teaches you how to set boundaries, avoid burnout, and free yourself from the traps of overthinking. Accessible, inclusive, and deeply informative, You’ve Got This is for anyone who wants to let go of limiting beliefs, overthinking, and anxiety—and learn to step confidently into a life they love.
Zachary's Choice
by Suzy LabonteA Christian homeschooling mom of a large family, Suzy LaBonte never imagined one of her children might die by suicide. She received an agonizing blow the day her sixteen-year-old son, Zachary, without threat or forewarning, chose to end his own life. The following months were bleak and sorrowful as Suzy struggled down a confusing path of shock, anger, guilt, and depression. Slowly putting one foot in front of the other, Suzy focused on the unfailing character of God, her husband's faithful partnership, and the hopeful faces of the children before her. Plodding and stumbling toward understanding and healing, Suzy found that God's faithful companionship and the promises of His Word lightened the darkest hours and sustained her life. Healing came slowly and with it, transforming lessons of pain and courage. With a passion to reach out to encourage other suicide survivors, Suzy shares the healing that is found in Christ Jesus.Includes a Survival Guide for those impacted by suicide and suggested resources for further support.
Zadie Smith and Postcolonial Trauma: Decolonising Trauma, Decolonising Selves (Routledge Studies in Contemporary Literature)
by Beatriz Pérez ZapataThis monograph analyses Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, On Beauty, NW, The Embassy of Cambodia, and Swing Time as trauma fictions that reveal the social, cultural, historical, and political facets of trauma. Starting with Smith’s humorous critique of psychoanalysis and her definition of original trauma, this volume explores Smith’s challenge of Western theories of trauma and coping and how her narratives expose the insidiousness of (post)colonial suffering and unbelonging. This book then explores transgenerational trauma, the tensions between remembering and forgetting, multidirectional memory, and the possibilities of the ambiguities and contradictions of the postcolonial and diasporic characters Smith depicts. This analysis discloses Smith’s effort to ethically redefine trauma theory from a postcolonial and decolonial standpoint, reiterate the need to acknowledge and work through colonial histories and postcolonial forms of oppression, and critically reflect on our roles as witnesses of suffering in global times.
Zainichi Koreans and Mental Health: Psychiatric Problem in Japanese Korean Minorities, Their Social Background and Life Story (Routledge Contemporary Japan Series)
by Taeyoung KimUsing a qualitative, interview-based approach, Kim investigates how conflicting identities and social marginalization affect the mental health of members of the ethnic Korean minority living in Japan. So-called “Zainichi” Koreans living in Japan have a higher suicide rate than native Japanese, or than any other ethnic group within Japan, a country which has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Considering themselves neither truly Korean nor wholly Japanese, they are mainly descendants of immigrants who came to Japan during the colonial period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kim explores the challenges facing these individuals, including the dilemmas of ethnic education, the discrimination against them by mainstream society, and the consequent impacts on their mental health. An insightful read both for scholars of Japanese culture and society and for anthropologists and sociologists with an interest in the effects of marginalization on ethnic minority citizens more broadly.
Zakboek ziektebeelden Psychiatrie
by Karin LindenVan angststoornissen tot en met schizofrenie: met dit Zakboek Ziektebeelden heb je altijd alle essenti#65533;le informatie over de meest voorkomende psychiatrische ziekten binnen handbereik. De ontwikkelingen in de medische wetenschap en de verpleegkunde gaan erg snel. Het is als verpleegkundige of praktijkondersteuner dan ook onmogelijk om volledig op de hoogte blijven van alle ins en outs op jouw vakgebied. Maar het is wel noodzakelijk om bij te blijven binnen je eigen deelspecialisatie. De makers van het bekende Verpleegkundig Vademecum hebben daarom nu een reeks zakboeken ontwikkeld met een medisch #65533;n verpleegkundig deel: Zakboeken Ziektebeelden. Handzame boekjes met praktische informatie over de belangrijkste ziektebeelden in jouw werkveld. De zakboeken hebben een overzichtelijke medicatietabel en zijn goed leesbaar. Alle informatie is bovendien snel en gemakkelijk te vinden, omdat alle ziektebeelden volgens hetzelfde stramien zijn beschreven: ziektedefinitie, oorzaak, verschijnselen, diagnostiek, behandeling, complicaties en prognose.
Zebratown
by Greg DonaldsonEight years in the making, this edgy, in-depth account follows a black felon’s attempt to find a new life for himself with a white woman in a small-town neighborhood where—as the book’s title implies—such relationships are common. A remarkably intense read, Zebratown reveals a rhythm of life spiked with violence, betrayal, sex, and the emotional dangers created by passionate love. Greg Donaldson’s Zebratown follows the life of Kevin Davis, an ex-con from Brownsville, Brooklyn, who, after his release from prison, moves to Elmira, New York, and takes up with Karen, a young woman with a six-year-old daughter. Kevin is seemingly the embodiment of hip-hop gangsterism—a heavily muscled, feared thug who has beaten a murder rap. And yet, as Donaldson’s stunning reportage reveals, Kevin has survived on the streets and in prison with a sharp intelligence and a rigid code of practical morality and physical fitness while yearning to make a better life for himself and be a better man. Month by month and year by year, Donaldson follows Kevin and Karen’s attempt to make a home together, a quest made harder by Kevin’s difficulty finding legal employment. The dangerous lures of the street remain for him, both in New York City and in Zebratown, and he is not always successful at avoiding them. Meanwhile, as Kevin and Karen struggle, the reader comes to care for them, even as they act in ways that society may not condone. Theirs is a complex story with many moments of drama, suffering, desire, and revelation—a story that is frequently astonishing and unforgettable to the end. Like Adrian Nicole LeBlanc in Random Family, Donaldson explores a largely hidden world; such immersion journalism is difficult to achieve but uniquely powerful to read. In addition to spending long periods with Kevin and Karen, Donaldson interviews policemen, judges, family members, and others in Kevin and Karen’s orbit, providing a remarkably panoramic account of their lives. Relationships between white women and black men have long been a hot issue in American culture. Even years after the 2008 presidential election, when society has in some ways seemingly moved on to a "postracial" perspective, people still have a lot to say about interracial relationships. Zebratown takes us into the heart of one and offers the paradoxical truth that while race is rarely not an issue in such relationships, in the end, what transpires between a couple is intensely individual. Meanwhile, the difficulty that ex-cons have successfully reentering society is an ongoing problem—for them, their families, and the communities where they live. Zebratown makes this struggle real, as Kevin Davis confronts not only his criminal record and his poor formal education but the cruelties of the postindustrial economy. Both his and Karen’s stories resonate powerfully with twenty-first-century American reality, and in telling them, Greg Donaldson confirms his position as one of the most intrepid journalists at work today.