Addressing societal issues has moved past the point of “fixing” the system that is in place. In many instances, the system in place cannot be “fixed” because it is not truly “broken”— it’s acting according to its design.
This is the core message of the newly released book authored by scientist Rana Dajani, which challenges us to reimagine what success looks like in the nonprofit, or social impact, sector and investigate language, human biology, philosophy, and more to identify what shapes the decisions individuals make when implementing solutions to social issues currently.
Throughout the book, Dajani shares how global challenges can be addressed from the bottom up rather than from the top down. The book takes readers on a reflective journey divided into two parts: Part One outlines the foundations of building mission-driven institutions from a systems change perspective, focusing on five key pillars: leadership, people, funding, impact measurement, and growth. Part Two serves as a testimonial documenting the story of We Love Reading, from its grassroots beginnings to its global spread—demonstrating how a local initiative can evolve into a worldwide model for behavioral and societal transformation.
Dajani hopes this book offers both enjoyment and valuable insight, helping readers grow intellectually and practically with each page. More importantly, she hopes it inspires readers to become changemakers who contribute to building a better world for future generations.
About the Author: Rana Dajani is currently a Yidan Global Fellow at Harvard Graduate school of Education, USA, and a professor of molecular biology at the Hashemite University in Jordan. Her area of expertise is epigenetics and biomarkers of trauma among refugees. Through her leadership, she has introduced national and regional stem cell laws and presided over numerous scientific boards and United Nations councils, most recently as the President of the Society for the Advancement of Science and Technology in the Arab World. She is a visiting professor at Harvard, Yale, MIT, Jepson School of Leadership and Cambridge.
This book is a valuable addition to the global library in the field of sustainable development and evidence-based social change. Now available for purchase at the following link: Reimagining Systems Change: A Bottom-Up Approach – Cambridge Scholars Publishing