“What distinguishes this book is its refusal to compartmentalize struggle. Wright connects the local to the global, the historical to the urgent now. This is a deeply spiritual and political book—written with clarity, humility, and conviction. It belongs in the hands of every educator, scholar, and policymaker committed to education as liberation. I give it my highest endorsement.”
—George J. Sefa Dei, professor of social justice education, University of Toronto
“Critical Ethnic Studies and the Global Pursuit of Justice is essential reading for any educator today. Wright insightfully situates ethnic studies within the deep historical roots of Black struggle and Black intellectual work, as well as student activism and global struggles for justice. He marshals a strong command of history to refute trivial versions of ethnic studies, and to place it squarely with ongoing movements for democracy and justice.”
—Christine Sleeter, professor emerita, California State University Monterey Bay, author of Critical Multicultural Education: Theory and Practice
“This book is a vital and timely intervention in the fields of ethnic studies, decolonial education, and educational leadership. The author brilliantly traces the political genealogy of ethnic studies while foregrounding the epistemic struggles of racialized communities who have long resisted the erasure of their histories. In an era of resurgent right-wing attacks on critical knowledge, this work reclaims ethnic studies as both an intellectual and political project rooted in decolonial praxis. It is essential reading for anyone committed to dismantling colonial logics in education and building liberatory futures from below.”
—Ramón Grosfoguel, professor of Chicano/Latino studies, UC Berkeley
“Dr. Wright provides an in-depth examination of the history and implementation of ethnic studies, and particularly in the state of California. Featuring the authentic voices of Black Americans who were directly linked to important periods in the history of the ethnic studies debates, Dr. Wright skillfully guides readers to the connections between ethnic studies, social justice, and educational reform. This book is a must-read for educators and policymakers.”
—Linda C. Tillman, professor emerita, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Professor Wright offers a compelling story that must be at the center of how we understand both education and justice. In this contemporary historical masterpiece, Wright links the ethnic studies movement and the struggle for justice in U.S. education to the Black struggle, and lays the groundwork for how we should move forward with restoring not only democracy and justice, but the very humanity of our nation. This book makes it clear that we cannot run from our past. And by centering histories of Black struggles through civil rights, he continues the push for educators to consider new ways of reforming education for our most vulnerable students.”
—Muhammad Khalifa, professor, educational administration and executive director of Urban and Rural Initiatives, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University
"James Wright’s compelling and timely book is a powerful contribution to the field—reminding us that transformative education, particularly ethnic studies, emerges from the embodied struggles of racially minoritized communities while being shaped by broader transnational forces. Grounded in decolonial thought, historical analysis, and rich interview data, this layered work is essential reading for those seeking to reimagine education toward justice, equity, and collective liberation, while grappling with the struggles, contestations, and hopes that shape this journey."
—Riyad A. Shahjahan, professor of higher, adult, and lifelong education, Michigan State University
“In Critical Ethnic Studies and the Global Pursuit of Justice, Wright masterfully explores educational politics through the lenses of decoloniality, Black revolutionary thought, and culturally responsive leadership, illuminating the transformative potential of ethnic studies in the process. The book is a powerful reminder of the profound link between education and liberation, and of the urgent need for communities of color to continue telling their histories, stories, and truths in the face of relentless efforts to erase them.”
—Gerardo R. López, Michigan State University, editor-in-chief, Educational Administration Quarterly
“Ethnic studies is a legacy and a lifeline. In Critical Ethnic Studies and the Global Pursuit of Justice, James Wright reveals how policy gets actualized inside schools, and how the fight for educational equity must be pursued, imagined, and embodied in real time.”
—Vajra Watson, Naslund Endowed Dean of the School of Education, University of Redlands, and author of Transformative Schooling: Towards Racial Equity in Education
“Wright offers a powerful roadmap for educators committed to truth-telling in an era of erasure, reclaiming ethnic studies as insurgent, decolonial pedagogy rooted in global and anti-imperial struggles. Refusing neutrality, this book insists that teaching must confront empire and racial capitalism, and that classrooms can be spaces of collective resistance and liberation.”
—Arshad I. Ali, associate professor, University of California, Santa Cruz
