Ideas For Action
Ideas for Action: Relevant Theory for Radical Change(Cambridge: South End Press), 2003 Cynthia Kaufman
The book is temporarily unavailable form South End Press except in hard cover. Below is pdf version. It will be available in print again soon.
From the Enron scandal to global warming, from the war on terrorism to the war on drugs, a growing number of people are unhappy with the status quo. Yet those genuinely interested in reading about the issues find that few contemporary theorists are seriously committed to accessible, clear writing. Furthermore, the mainstream media rarely represents social movements, and the theories associated with them, without distortion or bias.
Written in an engaging and accessible style, Ideas for Action gives activists the intellectual tools to turn discontent into action. Exploring a wide range of political traditions including Marxism, anarchism, anti-imperialism, poststructuralism, feminism, critical race theory, and environmentalism Cynthia Kaufman acknowledges the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of political movements and the ideologies inspired or generated through them.
Kaufman incorporates elements of her own activist experiences, and offers a coherent analysis without pretending to offer the final word on complex issues. Instead, she encourages inquiry and further investigation, offering readers the information to orient a critical understanding of the social world and a glimpse of the excitement nd rewards of serious intellectual engagement with political ideas.
Ideas for Action examines the work of diverse thinkers such as Adam Smith, Paulo Freire, Stuart Hall, and Grace Lee Boggs. In chapters that cover economics, imperialism, racism, feminism, the environment, authority, nationalism, and the media, Kaufman provides insights that will break the chains of cynicism and lay a foundation for more effective organizing.
http://www.southendpress.org/2004/items/ideas