Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides

by Terri Givens

Structural racism has impacted the lives of African Americans in the United States since before the country’s founding. Although the country has made some progress towards a more equal society, political developments in the 21st century have shown that deep divides remain. The persistence of inequality is an indicator of the stubborn resilience of the institutions that maintain white supremacy. To bridge our divides, renowned political scientist Terri Givens calls for ‘radical empathy’ - moving beyond an understanding of others’ lives and pain to understand the origins of our biases, including internalized oppression. Deftly weaving together her own experiences with the political, she offers practical steps to call out racism and bring about radical social change.

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, Self Help, Professional Development, Memoir, Anti Racist

200 pages, Paperback

Published February 14, 2022

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to prepare to co-facilitate a conversation for faculty about the book with a faculty colleague for a workshop our university teaching and scholarship hub.

This book which centers on two main topics: the author wanting to review her life from childhood to adulthood leading to her finding radical empathy and seeking solutions to bridge racial divides.

The bulk of the book for me was about her journey and not so much about bridging racial divides. I enjoyed chapters 7 and 8 the most with an emphasis on chapter 8 because she did a fantastic job of drawing parallels between the 400 years of structural racism and oppression in the United States with the Holocaust (Germany)and Apartheid (South Africa). I appreciated the comparison and more importantly the contrast of how Germany and South Africa reckoned with their past to move forward in comparison to how the U.S. has or hasn't.

I could relate to her upbringing in so many ways that I actually would like to meet he. As someone who also African American, grew up as a military brat, lived in a variety of places, who is in a interracial marriage, and a higher education administrator we have plenty in common.

Although I am not completely sold on the premise of radical empathy I am glad I read it and would encourage others to do so.

[Mikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part guidebook, part memoir, this accessible, can't-put-it-down read gives a face to the effects of American racism while lighting the path forward. The author shares insights gained through her journey from sheltered childhood up the ladder of academia, making connections from her parents' generation to that of her sons. Radical Empathy deserves a place on the thankfully growing shelf of books written to help our culture come to terms with the past and work together toward a better future.

[Mindy Burroughs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this but it turned out to be a lot more of a memoir than I expected. That’s not a bad thing just heads up I guess.

[Hannah Stokes]

This book was incredibly interesting in terms of bringing in Dr. Givens' personal story and related research. She is in a unique position to be able to do both. I found myself feeling empathy as I read her story, especially as she described dating and her experiences working higher education. Her epilogue is far more hopeful than my own mindset following the 2016 election.

The most interesting part of the book to me was the stories from South Africa and Germany. While I loved hearing her personal story, I found myself looking up more resources on the reconciliation process for both countries. I've always been curious about reconciliation in Germany given that I've been studying the language for a while and have been there several times. I found myself drawn to travel to South Africa after reading her book. It seems like the US is unwilling to try either the Germany or South Africa model of reconciliation, instead wanting to hide and burying a history of oppression. It makes me sad for the future of the US and I appreciated her comments about working at an individual level to promote radical empathy. I found her words at the end of each chapter to be motivating. I'm a big fan of empathy in general.

[Jmac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important book.
Lessons imparted through storytelling, empathy, humility and vulnerability.

One of my favourite quotes:

“We may not agree with our neighbour, but you hope our love for our communities can help us find a path to move past hate. We must start using tools and techniques, like those described in this book, to create hope and energize us for the long haul of healing the racial divisions in our societies. There is no miracle cure, and a new leader can change the tone, but it will take all of us working together to shift the tide. Each of us has the capacity to implement these strategies at every level. It can be a conversation with your neighbour, in the workplace, or in your local cafe. These tools are applicable everywhere.”

[Melissa Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read more like a memoir (an interesting one, don't get me wrong) than the theory and practice in anti-racism and developing deeper empathy I was craving. I found parts a bit repetitive, and the construction was hard to follow related to timelines. There was a feel of "reporting" on happenings and history, which also felt out of place. I am interested in a couple of her other books (racism and immigration issues), though, because I enjoyed her writing and expertise, and the chapter on driving change (at the end) was by far worth the read.

[Anna P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent read that I believe imparts some very important lessons regarding empathy and bridging racial divides (it’s almost like that’s the book title or something). My one of my favorite chapters centered on racism and health disparities. The other compared Germany and the US as to how they have dealt with their racist pasts from an empathetic perspective.

[Hannah Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved reading about Dr. Givens life and her thoughts on the state of American politics, but I don't feel this book added much new to the conversation around racism in America or the history of race in America.

[Sarah Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Radical Empathy by Terri E. Givens is a beautifully written and vulnerable account of her experience. I appreciate the prompts for self reflection and recommendations to create change individually and beyond. Definitely recommend.

[Ew Lake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being close in age, I could put myself in Given's 1980's Spokane easily, letting my empathy note shared experiences despite us being so obviously different. Her chapter on love and marriage provided examples and reminders for how I can learn about Yiqiu's family , culture, and experiences.

[Edie Asbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a positive spin on a dark topic, uplifting yet revealing. I'm glad I read it.