The Freshman Common Reading Selection Committee has chosen So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson as the 2016-2017 Common Read.
Nominated by Susanna Eng-Ziskin (Library) and Jamie Johnson (Library), this non-fiction book examines the contemporary phenomenon of internet shaming.
Ronson explores what really happens when "citizen justice" gets rolling on social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.). At first, he thinks public shaming is "the democratization of justice" (10). But he gradually discovers something very different: "You don't have any rights when you're accused on the Internet. And the consequences are worse. It's worldwide forever" (90).
For a little more information about the book, see http://www.csun.edu/undergraduate-studies/academic-first-year-experiences/nominated-titles-2016-2017-freshman-common
Committee members chose the book for its broad range of examples, its topical relevance, its likely appeal to students, and the many rich opportunities for students to conduct further research and engage in critical thinking about the ethics of social media. Stay tuned for updates later this spring about our featured speaker at Freshman Convocation.