The University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Social Policy Book Blog is an student-led reading project developed in the City Studies course CITC07H3 Urban Social Policy (Instructor: Dr. Ahmed Allahwala). The goal of the blog is to support and promote critical conversations, debates and analysis of pressing social policy issues in the Canadian and international context. The book blog is intended to enable discussions around in the UTSC and wider community about contemporary urban social issues and policy responses to them. The hope is that this platform encourages open dialogue and intellectual exchange on social policy for anyone and everyone by virtual means at any time. Fifteen students participated in the creation of this book blog, sharing thoughts and challenging each other’s thinking. The four books chosen in the winter term 2020 were selected based on student interest, individual submissions, and a democratic vice. The four novels chosen all illustrate certain aspects of urban social policy. The focal point of these books includes how social policies pertain to Indigenous health issues, feminist perspectives on social policy, community engagement and social reproduction, and how African-American people are affected by racism within the police. Through the collaboration of the students, four reading guides were developed to help enhance club members' understanding of the material discussed in each book. New members can join and discuss books, authors, answer questions and share their views and knowledge with this online book community. We invite current and future students to continue the work, add new books to the blog, and continue to create a space for critical social policy discussions among City Studies students and beyond.
