Overview

Examining the significance of the Movement for Black Lives, Reckoning uncovers a broadly applicable argument for the democratic necessity of social movements.Barack Obama famously said that the purpose of social movements is to get a seat at the table. However, as Deva Woodly argues in Reckoning - a sweeping account of the meaning and purpose of the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) - the value of such movements is something much more profound: they are necessary for the health and survival of democracy. Drawing from on-the-ground interviews with activists in the movement, Woodly analyzes the emergence of the M4BL, its organizational structure and culture, and its strategies and tactics. She also shows how a unique political philosophy - Radical Black Feminist Pragmatism - served as an intellectual foundation of the movement and documents the role it played in transforming public meanings, public opinion, and policy. Interweaving theoretical and empirical observations throughout, Woodly provides both a unique portrait of the movement and a powerful explanation of the labor social movements do in democracy. A major work that speaks to both scholars and activists, Woodly's account of the rise and spread of M4BL will reshape our understanding of why the movement is so important - and so necessary - for democracy.

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9780197603956

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Reviews

"Deva Woodly's Reckoning identifies a distinct political theory within the Movement for Black Lives: radical Black feminist pragmatism. Her explication of that philosophy is brilliant, sure to be ground-shifting in democratic theory. Reckoning is methodologically innovative, lyrically written, and politically wise. * Jack Turner, co-editor of African American Political Thought: A Collected History * Dr. Deva R. Woodly's Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements is a vital contribution to the academic canon of analytical political texts. It serves as both a historical narrative and a case study of a movement. Beyond this, the book is also an exemplary contemporary radical Black feminist text that pays tribute to the many women who have laid the foundation for social justice movements. * Zoë M. Van Gyseghem, Journal of African American Studies * Reckoning guides the reader from BLM's point of genesis in 2014, through the evolution of #BLM to the creation of a national network...The reader is given a deeper understanding of the depth and complexity of this movement. By the end of this book (two hundred and sixteen pages, two highlighters, and a full pen later), I felt empowered and inspired. Dr. Woodly reminds us of the power and responsibility we have to actively create the democracy we want. The question is, ""So what shall we do?"" * Zoë M. Van Gyseghem, Journal of African American Studies *"

Deva Woodly's Reckoning identifies a distinct political theory within the Movement for Black Lives: radical Black feminist pragmatism. Her explication of that philosophy is brilliant, sure to be ground-shifting in democratic theory. Reckoning is methodologically innovative, lyrically written, and politically wise. * Jack Turner, co-editor of African American Political Thought: A Collected History *

"Deva Woodly's Reckoning identifies a distinct political theory within the Movement for Black Lives: radical Black feminist pragmatism. Her explication of that philosophy is brilliant, sure to be ground-shifting in democratic theory. Reckoning is methodologically innovative, lyrically written, and politically wise. * Jack Turner, co-editor of African American Political Thought: A Collected History * Dr. Deva R. Woodly's Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements is a vital contribution to the academic canon of analytical political texts. It serves as both a historical narrative and a case study of a movement. Beyond this, the book is also an exemplary contemporary radical Black feminist text that pays tribute to the many women who have laid the foundation for social justice movements. * Zo""e M. Van Gyseghem, Journal of African American Studies * Reckoning guides the reader from BLM's point of genesis in 2014, through the evolution of #BLM to the creation of a national network...The reader is given a deeper understanding of the depth and complexity of this movement. By the end of this book (two hundred and sixteen pages, two highlighters, and a full pen later), I felt empowered and inspired. Dr. Woodly reminds us of the power and responsibility we have to actively create the democracy we want. The question is, ""So what shall we do?"" * Zoë M. Van Gyseghem, Journal of African American Studies * This stunning work by Woodly (The New School), author of The Politics of Common Sense, argues for the necessity of community organizing and racial justice to fortify democracy and offers readers a lens through which to comprehend this phenomenon...It is a blueprint for recentering Americans' understanding of social movements, democracy, and power dynamics on lived experiences, intentions to thrive, restorative justice, and the breaking down of harmful systems that hurt marginalized communities. * Choice *"

Deva Woodly's Reckoning identifies a distinct political theory within the Movement for Black Lives: radical Black feminist pragmatism. Her explication of that philosophy is brilliant, sure to be ground-shifting in democratic theory. Reckoning is methodologically innovative, lyrically written, and politically wise. * Jack Turner, co-editor of African American Political Thought: A Collected History * Dr. Deva R. Woodly's Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements is a vital contribution to the academic canon of analytical political texts. It serves as both a historical narrative and a case study of a movement. Beyond this, the book is also an exemplary contemporary radical Black feminist text that pays tribute to the many women who have laid the foundation for social justice movements. * Zoë M. Van Gyseghem, Journal of African American Studies *

Author Information

Deva R. Woodly is Associate Professor of Political Science at The New School and the author of The Politics of Common Sense (Oxford).

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