Tools for Radical Democracy


Book Description

Building the Power to Create Change Tools for Radical Democracy is an essential resource for grassroots organizers and leaders, students of activism and advocacy, and anyone trying to increase the civic participation of ordinary people. Authors Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos share stories and tools from their nationally recognized and award-winning work of building a community-led organization, training community leaders, and conducting campaigns that changed public policy and delivered concrete results to tens of thousands of people. This how-to manual includes: In-depth analysis of how to launch and win a campaign Tools and guidelines for training people to lead their own campaigns and organizations Insights for using technology effectively, building more powerful alliances, and engaging in the social justice movement Praise for tools for Radical Democracy "This book provides the nuts and bolts for how people and communities that start on the margins can move to center stage. Tools for Radical Democracy shines the spotlight on what works and will help spark the next generation of social change movements. To be sure, our country is in dire need of such techniques." —Andy Stern, president, Service Employees International Union, CTW, CLC "This manual is an organizer's organizer. I hope many people will put this to use." —Heather Booth, founder and president, Midwest Academy "This book is 'the secret' for building collective power for long-term social change." —Nat Chioke Williams, executive director, Hill Snowdon Foundation "Minieri and Getsos provide real-world examples of how ordinary people can become leaders who effect positive change. This book will be required reading for our staff and recommended reading for all our members." —Janet S. Keating, codirector, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition "Students, scholars, and social activists alike will find something to their tastes in this how-to guide for rebuilding democracy from the ground up." —Joaquin Herranz Jr., assistant professor, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington




Tools for Radical Democracy


Book Description

Tools for Radical Democracy is an essential resource for grassroots organizers and leaders, students of activism and advocacy, and anyone trying to increase the civic participation of ordinary people. Authors Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos share stories and tools from their nationally recognized and award-winning work of building a community-led organization, training community leaders, and conducting campaigns that changed public policy and delivered concrete results to tens of thousands of people. This how-to manual includes: · In-depth analysis of how to launch and win a campaign · Tools and guidelines for training people to lead their own campaigns and organizations · Insights for using technology effectively, building more powerful alliances, and engaging in the social justice movement




The Education of Radical Democracy


Book Description

The Education of Radical Democracy explores why radical democracy is so necessary, difficult, and possible and why it is important to understand it as an educative activity . The book draws on critical social theory and critical pedagogy to explain what enables and sustains work for radical democratization, and considers how we can begin such work in neoliberal societies today. Exploring examples of projects from the nineteenth century to the present day, the book sheds light on a wealth of critical tools, research studies, theoretical concepts and practical methods. It offers a critical reading of the ‘crisis of hope’ in neoliberal capitalist societies, focusing on the problem of the ‘contraction of possibilities’ for democratic agency, resistance to domination, and practices of freedom. It argues that radically democratic thinking, practice, and forms of social organization are vital for countering and overcoming systemic hegemonies and that these can be learned and cultivated. This book will be of interest to academics, practitioners, researchers, and students in education and critical theory, and to those interested in the sociology, philosophy and politics of hope. It also invites new dialogues between theorists of neoliberal power and political possibility, those engaged in projects for radical democratization, and teachers in formal and informal educational settings.




Radical Democracy and Collective Movements Today


Book Description

The 'Arab spring', the Spanish indignados, the Greek aganaktismenoi and the Occupy Wall Street movement all share a number of distinctive traits; they made extensive use of social networking and were committed to the direct democratic participation of all as they co-ordinated and conducted their actions. Leaderless and self-organized, they were socially and ideologically heterogeneous, dismissing fixed agendas or ideologies. Still, the assembled multitudes that animated these mobilizations often claimed to speak in the name of ’the people’, and they aspired to empowered forms of egalitarian self-government in common. Similar features have marked collective resistances from the Zapatistas and the Seattle protests onwards, giving rise to theoretical and practical debates over the importance of these ideological and political forms. By engaging with the controversy between the autonomous, biopolitical ’multitude’ of Hardt and Negri and the arguments in favour of the hegemony of ’the people’ advanced by J. Rancière, E. Laclau, C. Mouffe and S. Zizek the central aim of this book is to discuss these instances of collective mobilization, to probe the innovative practices and ideas they have developed and to debate their potential to reinvigorate democracy whilst seeking something better than ’disaster capitalism’.




Organizing for Power and Empowerment


Book Description

Through entirely new interviews, Organizing for Power and Empowerment: The Fight for Democracy features the voices and experiences of more than forty organizers, telling the stories of twenty geographically and racially diverse progressive organizations. The authors highlight how organizations use innovative new strategies, like targeting corporate expansion, operating at statewide levels, building new structures for electoral action, and establishing community-labor coalitions to win on such critical issues as worker protections, bail reform, immigration, climate change, and affordable housing. The book describes organizations working across a range of issues. The organizers discuss campaigns that activate people around issues that matter in their daily lives—work schedules, bail reform, schools, voting, and affordable housing—and connect them to broader topics such as racial justice, immigration, climate change, criminal justice, and workers’ rights. They share their thoughts on building community organizations and empowering ordinary citizens to become leaders. The book underscores the leadership of Black Americans, other people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ people as they lead campaigns to address the disparate effects of inequality faced by their communities. It provides detailed analysis of the new and effective organizational structures and change strategies, and sheds important new light on foundational organizing practices, innovations, and the challenges and opportunities for progressive social action today.




Radical Democracy


Book Description

What is Radical Democracy? This book explores Radical Democracy's transformative potential, focusing on its principles, practices, and influence on modern political movements. It's a key resource for those interested in democratic innovations and social justice. Chapters Highlights: 1: Radical Democracy - Examine its core principles, challenge to traditional models, and focus on inclusivity and empowerment. 2: Deliberative Democracy - Discover how deliberation fosters informed, reflective discussions and enhances democratic engagement. 3: Ernesto Laclau - Review Laclau's contributions to Radical Democracy and his theories on populism. 4: Chantal Mouffe - Understand Mouffe’s impact, especially her ideas on agonism and the role of conflict in democracy. 5: Agonism - Explore the importance of political conflict for democracy as opposed to consensus models. 6: Andrew Arato - Investigate Arato’s views on civil society and constitutionalism in the context of Radical Democracy. 7: The Democratic Paradox - Analyze the tension between liberalism and popular sovereignty as described by Mouffe. 8: Post-Marxism - Examine how Radical Democracy intersects with Post-Marxism, focusing on power and social change. 9: Cristina Lafont - Delve into Lafont’s focus on communication and public reasoning in democratic theory. 10: Oral Democracy - Learn about the role of verbal communication in decision-making processes. 11: Democracy - Get a broad overview of democratic principles and their historical and contemporary applications. 12: Deliberation - Study how deliberation bridges divides and fosters mutual understanding. 13: Public Sphere - Explore the role of the public sphere in political action and democratic vitality. 14: Communicative Action - Understand Habermas’s concept of communicative action for achieving consensus. 15: Hegemony and Socialist Strategy - Analyze strategies for achieving hegemony in democratic societies. 16: Types of Democracy - Compare various democratic forms, from direct to representative. 17: Post-politics - Examine the shift from traditional ideologies to technocratic governance. 18: Citizens' Assembly - Learn how citizens' assemblies enable direct public participation in decision-making. 19: Essex School of Discourse Analysis - Understand the Essex School’s discourse analysis approach and its relevance to Radical Democracy. 20: Democratic Socialism - Explore democratic socialism’s blend of governance and social equity. 21: Online Deliberation - Investigate how digital platforms enhance democratic engagement. This book offers deep insights into Radical Democracy’s principles and practices, making it a valuable read for those interested in democratic governance.




Radical Democracy


Book Description

Radical Democracy addresses the loss of faith in conventional party politics and argues for new ways of thinking about diversity, liberty and civic responsibility. The cultural and social theorists in Radical Democracy broaden the discussion beyond the conventional and conservative rhetoric by investigating the applicability of radical democracy in the United States. Issues debated include whether democracy is primarily a form of decision making or an instrument of popular empowerment; and whether democracy constitutes an abstract ideal or an achievable goal.







Radically Civil


Book Description

If you feel like the world has gone to hell in a handbasket, you’re not alone. If you often feel there’s nothing you can do about it, you’re also not alone. Along with this increasing anger, fear, and frustration, much confusion still prevails on the appropriate communication practices for responding to difficult situations and improving our lives. Communication experts Robert Danisch and William Keith explain why and how we can practice radical civility in this practical guide to everyday “political” communication. This guide begins with examples of radical civility to show the potential of this kind of communication to change minds and bridge differences. The authors then unpack the three foundational principles of radical civility as useful theoretical tools for thinking throughout interactions with others in civic spaces. This is then followed by a three-step process for practicing radical civility drawing on research into active listening and its importance for creating connections, validating other views, and opening up possibilities for future conversation. The guide concludes with evidence-based communication practices and prescriptive recommendations for how to do each and show examples of each in action. Radically Civil: Saving Democracy One Conversation at a Time is a much-needed communication-based antidote to polarization, preparing students, researchers, and community leaders to be responsible participants in today’s society.




Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century


Book Description

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Part I Situating radical democracy -- 1 The idea of democracy -- 2 Theories of radical democracy -- Part II Radical democracy in action -- 3 Subjects and agency: Who is the radical democrat? -- 4 Communities in question: Where is the radical democrat? -- 5 Radical deliberations: The radical democrat in action -- Part III Radical democracy in a globalized world -- 6 Radical cosmopolitanism -- 7 Greening democracy as radical democracy -- Conclusion -- Index