Changing the ‘world as it is’ into the ‘world as it should be’
Resolving the conflict between being visionary and being pragmatic is critical for those who want to transform society. Published in Waging Nonviolence. Organizations committed to changing the world...
View ArticleDemocrats Won Power in Several States. Will They Actually Use It?
While Republicans have used legislative majorities at the state level to undermine their opposition, the Democratic Party has too often failed to fight back. Published in In These Times “It’s a...
View ArticleCan movements keep politicians from inevitably selling out?
By understanding how mainstream political culture co-opts elected officials, grassroots groups can help them resist. Published in Waging Nonviolence, The Forge, and Dissent. It is a pattern we see...
View ArticleLessons from Barcelona’s 8-year experiment in radical governance
The activists who took over the city hall of Catalonia’s capital have changed one of Europe’s preeminent cities for good, while also confronting the limits of being in power. Published in Waging...
View ArticleLessons from Gramsci for today’s social movements
Why we should care about the battle for “hegemony.” Published in Waging Nonviolence. He has been called one of the most original political thinkers of the 20th century. Historians point out that “If...
View ArticleHow ideology can help—or hurt—movements trying to build power
Political educator Harmony Goldberg discusses whether the ideological traditions of the left are helpful for practical organizing. Published in Waging Nonviolence and The Forge. What is ideology? And...
View ArticleThis new model for upholding labor law may change the way we think about...
Scholar and long-time organizer Janice Fine argues that the state must reject “neutrality” and embrace social movements as partners in promoting justice. Published in Boston Review and The Forge. In...
View ArticleThink #MeToo didn’t make a real difference? Think again
It takes effort to track the impacts of mass mobilizations like #MeToo, Occupy or Black Lives Matter, but understanding social change is impossible without such work. Published in Waging Nonviolence....
View ArticleStrategy is a Craft
A conversation with Deepak Bhargava and Stephanie Luce about their new book, Practical Radicals, and the need for the left to embrace a rigorous, multi-pronged strategy for change. Published in...
View ArticleHarold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political machine
A new documentary explains how, 40 years ago, Chicago’s first black mayor shattered status-quo politics in his city, offering insights that remain relevant for grassroots movements today. Published in...
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