Though the Breakthrough Institute’s annual activist boot camp is over, it’s still possible to get in on some of the learning that occurred there. Based around the Breakthrough Institute’s core values of imagination, integrity, and audacity, the boot camp offered ten activists the chance to learn about political issues in terms of national security, energy, or climate. The activists were able to do so with the support of staff, completing projects throughout July. Their lessons were based on a curriculum outline that is available online, here, for anyone who wishes to follow it. The syllabus is also available at the site.

The whole first two weeks of the camp are based on this outline, which is identified as “an intensive reading, writing, and lecture course” that exposes students “to a wide range of thinking on many issues that inform the Breakthrough Institute’s policy agenda.” Even if you’re not so interested in the Institute or its agenda, the reading list makes for a very interesting one—perfect for progressives who are looking for some summer reading.

Some titles included are The History of Sexuality, The Rise of the Creative Class, Individualism Old and New, The Nature of Technology, and many more. With authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Dewey, and Robert Atkinson, you know it’s going to be an interesting selection. The Institute is not lying when they say it’s an intensive reading project, either; there are over forty readings, as well as videos to peruse. Though I’m adding many of these to my own reading list, I’d like to see a lot more female voices portrayed in the mix.

In order to truly move past the paradigm we see, exposing ourselves to the views of others is usually helpful. So perhaps one of the best ways we could hold our own mini boot camp is to invite friends, family, coworkers, or even people we don’t know all that well—in fact, especially these people!—to read these books and have a discussion over them. Select one or two of the books and schedule a date two weeks from today for everyone to meet and discuss the books. Who knows? You might even start your own reading group or Meetup during the process. If that’s not doable, simply start your own Facebook page for the discussions, or host them on your page. People generally don’t have excuses for not sharing thoughts on Facebook, after all.