During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the media gave relentless attention to differences between rural and urban voters, often forcing them into the roles of political foes and creating greater levels of intolerance between them. However, little attention was paid to a specific group of individuals who come from various backgrounds but share significant economic and existential commonalities: college students. Rural and urban dwellers alike converge on college campuses and share experiences that render higher education spaces promising sites for overcoming racial, cultural, and political divides. Campus Candor: Students' Stories Unmasked challenges the perceived divisions between student populations today by presenting students' stories and underscoring the commonalities between seemingly disparate groups. This process builds empathy and challenges readers' inclinations to demonize "others." Spotlighting oral histories, the book chronicles the lives of students at the University of Kentucky, West Virginia University, University of Florida, and University of Mississippi, with emphasis on rural-urban divides and class differences. Student interviews and narratives navigate difficult but important topical areas, including student hunger, racism on campus, student poverty, pursuit of status, gender convergences and differences, and more. Throughout, the book features contributions and reflections from three of Dr. Moosnick's former students, Victoria Cruz-Faulk, Emily A. Keaton, and Saturn Star-Shooter. An emotionally resonant and critical resource, Campus Candor is well suited to freshman seminars and courses, as well as education and sociology courses that examine issues related to inequality and sociopolitical divides.
