7 Insightful Reads That Explore the Power of Journalism

Three or More is a Riot by Jelani Cobb, Dean and Henry R. Luce Professor of Journalism.

Dean Cobb shares a gripping portrait of America’s last tumultuous decade. Blending frontline reporting, criticism, and retrospective insight, he traces the rise of movements like Black Lives Matter and the backlash that fueled MAGA, capturing the people and events that defined an era—and what they might mean for our future.

Preorder your copy here.

Take to the Trees by Professor of Professional Practice and Director of Science and Environmental Journalism Marguerite Holloway, '88 M.S.

Holloway blends memoir with environmental reporting in this exploration of America’s imperiled forests. As a novice climber, she joins the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop and learns from arborists working to protect iconic tree species. The book highlights the ecological threats trees face while offering a hopeful view of resilience, community and care.

Get your copy today.



 

The Second Emancipation by Professor Howard French

In this sweeping historical account, French traces the life and global impact of Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, the first African leader to gain independence from colonial rule. French reexamines the Cold War through the lens of Pan-Africanism, liberation movements and the fractured promise of postcolonial unity — revealing how Nkrumah’s rise and fall reshaped the modern world.

Order your copy of The Second Emancipation. 


 

The Good Deed by Professor Helen Benedict

A finalist for the prestigious Dayton Literary Peace Prize, The Good Deed is set in an overcrowded refugee camp on the Greek island of Samos. The novel follows an American tourist whose act of kindness sets off unintended consequences, intertwining her story with those of displaced women struggling to survive. Benedict’s compassionate narrative explores themes of power, trauma and the complexities of aid in crisis zones.

Explore the story.

 

The Uncanny Muse by Professor David Hajdu

In this thought-provoking exploration of art and automation, Hajdu traces the long history of machines in creative life, from player pianos and mechanical dolls to AI-generated music and film. Blending cultural history with sharp insight, he asks what it means to be human in an age when machines can be artists.

Read more about The Uncanny Muse in Columbia Magazine.
 

The Dangerous Rise of “Dual-Use” Objects in War by Professor and Director of the Li Center Azmat Khan

With co-authors Oona A. Hathaway and Mara R. Revkin, this investigative essay in The Yale Law Journal reveals how the targeting of infrastructure and civilian facilities deemed “dual-use” has blurred the lines of international humanitarian law. Drawing on field research and primary data, she exposes the devastating consequences for civilians caught in conflict zones and calls for clearer protections under the laws of war.

Read the full piece.

 

Higher Admissions by Dean Emeritus Nicholas Lemann

In this timely examination of higher education, Lemann explores how college admissions in the U.S. became a national battleground. Blending historical perspective and journalistic analysis, he considers how race, class and access have shaped the system, and what its future may hold.

Take a closer look at Higher Admissions.