People, Power, Change
Organizing for Democratic Renewal
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc
Published:1st Nov '24
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At a moment when our democratic abilities seem to have eroded, and political, economic, and technological forces have weakened the capacity for collective action, People, Power, Change is a once-in-a-generation book for anyone who wants to create real and lasting change. Marshall Ganz is one of the world's leading authorities on democratic organizing, and this book is the culmination of his decades of teaching, research, and work. In People, Power, Change, Ganz distills for students, practitioners, and activists the principles he has gleaned over the last half-century of creating collective action. Ganz explores the forces, craft, and learned skill of organizing and provides an actionable framework for how to actually do it. He focuses the book on the creation and substance of relationships, the fuel of values and narrative, the resources and power of strategy, the necessity of structure, and the accountability of action. Across these five organizing ideas, Ganz weaves in his personal experiences from a lifetime of organizing in iconic social movements and campaigns to illustrate how collective action actually works and to build the practices and skills that must be developed to do it with intention and with success.
A spirited, encouraging handbook for progressive organizing ... The user's manual that progressives have been missing until now - highly recommended. * Kirkus Reviews *
If there was ever a moment when this message needed to be heard, this is it! Read it, and then get to work! * Bill McKibben *
Marshall Ganz shares his brilliance about how people learn in this must-read book. It couldn't be timelier, and yet also timeless. With the spiraling effect of artificial intelligence on top of so-called social media, understanding how consciousness shifts and what the mechanisms include, will prepare activists and organizers for the present and the future. This book, and the author's thinking and practice, cut across issue lines to the core of how to enable the change process. Ganz's decades of transformational work in the field are unlocked in this politically urgent book. * Jane McAlevey *
Amidst the global crisis of democracies teetering on the brink, Ganz's book provides a critical beacon of hope and guidance. In an era where the once-touted power of social media in driving social change has proven to be largely illusory, Ganz provides key concepts for real and enduring social progress grounded in hope for possible futures, not fear, grievances and nostalgia. This book masterfully intertwines the crucial concepts of storytelling, strategy, action, organization, and leadership development into a coherent framework for change. I have met dissidents and organizers from around the world whose lives and work have been directly influenced by Ganz's ideas. For the first time, Ganz's principal teachings are brought together in one place, offering an indispensable resource for all those committed to strengthening democracy. * Deb Roy *
Marshall Ganz draws on cutting edge social science and more than a half-century working in the trenches of progressive politics to produce a tool kit for democratic organizing. Part Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, updated for the 21st century, and part reflection on the demands of real democracy, People, Power, Change shows how people without institutional power have won lasting change. They have done so by refusing the boundaries many of us are too quick to accept between protest and politics and between story and strategy. People, Power, Change makes a persuasive case for thinking about change very differently. A signal achievement.ENEN * Francesca PolettaENEN *
This is the foundational book that Ganz was destined to write, full of the wisdom of a lifelong practitioner, learner and teacher of organizing. May we grab a hold of this roadmap toward a renewal of our democracy in America, and organize, organize, organize. * Ai-Jen Poo *
Marshall Ganz's new book - People, Power, Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal- is a master class in the Art and Science of the craft of organizing. A must read for all organizers - veterans and rookies alike and for anyone who yearns for social change but does not know where or how to start. After 57 years of organizing I tought I had seen or heard everything , but this book shows there is always something new to learn. * Eliseo Medina *
As an organizer, I was lucky to receive Marshall's coaching first hand. This book offers Marshall's hard-earned wisdom to everyone. It is timely and important. Reading People, Power, Change feels like sitting next to Marshall, hearing stories from nearly 60-years of historic social movements. It is for anyone who wants to take responsibility for building a future where we live together with dignity, equality, and hope. * Dyanna Jaye *
ISBN: 9780197569009
Dimensions: 241mm x 165mm x 24mm
Weight: 476g
248 pages