As a Mississippi native, a longtime activist on civil rights issues, and an academic specializing in the history of ideas, Tom Head brings a unique viewpoint to About.com: Civil Liberties. He believes, and has long argued, that a sustainable approach to civil liberties depends heavily on our ability to empathize with people who are most directly affected by authoritarian policies.
Ideologically, he trends left-libertarian and tends to agree with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) more often than not. He has become increasingly skeptical of the Libertarian Party, primarily because of its tendency to support state's rights to the exclusion of federal civil rights law, but still believes that it can become a force for good in American politics.
He is author of numerous books, including Civil Liberties: A Beginner's Guide (Oneworld, 2009) and It's Your World, So Change It: Using the Power of the Internet to Create Social Change (Pearson, 2010). He serves on the board of the Mississippi ACLU, and is an award-winning columnist for the Jackson Free Press.
Experience:
Tom's 24 nonfiction books include Freedom of Religion (Facts on File), The Bill of Rights (Greenhaven/Gale), What is the State of Human Rights? (Greenhaven/Gale), and Is Torture Ever Justified? (Greenhaven/Gale). He is also co-author of Crime and Punishment in America (Facts on File, 2010).
Education:
Tom holds an M.A. in humanities from California State University, Dominguez Hills (the same program from which Mumia Abu-Jamal graduated), and is a Ph.D. candidate in Edith Cowan University's interdisciplinary studies program. He has also completed graduate-level coursework in counseling psychology at Mississippi College, and in theological studies at Spring Hill College.
From Tom Head:
Let's explore the topic of civil liberties together. If you have a question, please always feel free to ask it. If you disagree with something I've written, please always feel free to say so. Let's work together to build a better world.
References:
- Civil Liberties: A Beginner's Guide (paperback)
My book covers civil liberties from an international perspective. - Civil Liberties: A Beginner's Guide (audiobook)
The audiobook edition of Civil Liberties, narrated by Australian voice actor Richard Aspell.