The next American revolution : sustainable activism for the twenty-first century

The next American revolution Sustainable activism for the twenty-first century

Grace Lee Boggs

Book - 2011

Synopsis: A world dominated by America and driven by cheap oil, easy credit, and conspicuous consumption is unraveling before our eyes. In this powerful, deeply humanistic book, Grace Lee Boggs, a legendary figure in the struggle for justice in America, shrewdly assesses the current crisis-political, economical, and environmental-and shows how to create the radical social change we need to confront new realities. A vibrant, inspirational force, Boggs has participated in all of the twentieth century's major social movements-for civil rights, women's rights, workers' rights, and more. She draws from seven decades of activist experience, and a rigorous commitment to critical thinking, to redefine "revolution" for o...ur times. From her home in Detroit, she reveals how hope and creativity are overcoming despair and decay within the most devastated urban communities. Her book is a manifesto for creating alternative modes of work, politics, and human interaction that will collectively constitute the next American Revolution.

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Subjects
Social action.
Social movements.
Sustainable development.
Published
Berkeley, Calif. : University of California Press c2011.
Language
English
Main Author
Grace Lee Boggs (-)
Other Authors
Scott Kurashige (-)
Physical Description
xix, 201 p. ; 22 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9780520269248
  • Foreword
  • Acknowledgments
  • Introduction
  • 1. These Are the Times to Grow Our Souls
  • 2. Revolution as a New Beginning
  • 3. Let's Talk about Malcolm and Martin
  • 4. Detroit, Place and Space to Begin Anew
  • 5. A Paradigm Shift in Our Concept of Education
  • 6. We Are the Leaders We've Been Looking For
  • Notes
  • Index
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Boggs (co-author, Revolution and Evolution in the Twentieth Century), the 96-year old activist who co-organized Detroit's 1963 Freedom Now march, examines the need for a new revolution to address the "triple crises of global wars, global economic turmoil, and global warming." Referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s ideas about the inverse relationship between monetary and moral wealth (i.e. an increase in the former begets a decrease in the latter), Boggs suggests that America's consumer-driven society puts an untenable (and immoral) strain on world resources-to teach the importance of providing for others and for oneself, she highlights "new activism" programs like the Earthworks Garden in Detroit. Boggs also calls for a paradigm shift in education, to eliminate outmoded "command and control" factory models in favor of community-based, democratic methods that promote real problem-solving and embrace children's humanity. University of Michigan Associate Professor Kurashige (The Shifting Grounds of Race) pieced together Boggs's speeches and writings for this volume, and though lovingly produced, it feels uneven. Framing this as an anthology with context for each piece would have yielded a smoother read. Nonetheless, this is a much-deserved celebration of an accomplished activist, yielding lessons in civil rights history, stark assessments of today's troubles, and worthy ideas to frame a better tomorrow. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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