Introduction
part 1. The Job Description
12 Roles of the Successful Organizer
1. The Foot Soldier
2. The Evangelist
3. The Recruiter
4. The Group Builder
5. The Strategist
6. The Tactician
7. The Communicator
8. The Political Educator
9. The Agitator
10. The Fund-Raiser
11. The Comrade and Confidante
12. The Cadre
Part 2. The Qualities
16 Qualities of the Successful Organizer
1. Joins an Organization Based on Agreement with Its
Strategy and Tactics
2. Builds a Base and Never Walks Alone
3. Sings with the Choir but Finds Her Own Voice
4. A Good Listener: Keeps an Ear to the Ground
5. A Good Investigator: Seeks Truth from Facts
6. Tribune of the People: Fights for All the Oppressed
7. Generosity of Spirit: Takes Good Care of Others
8. Self-Sustaining: Takes Good Care of Himself
9. Completes the Circle: From Start to Finish
10. Tactically Agile: Masters the Decision of the Moment
11. A Strong Class Stand: Which Side Are You On?
12. The Organizer as Expert: Science in Service to the
People
13. Courageous and Militant: On the Front Lines of the
Battle
14. A Strong Work Ethic: First to Arrive, Last to Leave
15. Relentless: Won’t Take No for an Answer
16. Fights to Win: Leading the Great Campaign
Conclusion: The Time for Transformative Organizing Is Now!
Eric Mann is director of the Los Angeles-based Labor/Community Strategy Center and cofounder of the Bus Riders Union. He is the author of six books and has worked extensively with many organizations, including the Congress of Racial Equality, Students for a Democratic Society, and the United Auto Workers. He lives in Los Angeles.
“In addition to his descriptions of a successful organizer's
qualities and roles, his insider view of activism, and his thorough
knowledge of participants and parties through the years, gives this
book its value”—Publishers Weekly
“An Art of War for organizers around the world. Buy ten copies and
pass them on.”—Mike Davis
"We desperately need change. We need to reclaim and rebuild real
democracy. The skills of organizing that Eric Mann shares in
Playbook for Progressives are the life blood of democracy, human
rights, social and economic justice, and planetary
survival."—Vandana Shiva, author of Soil Not Oil and Earth
Democracy
“Eric Mann has written an essential field guide for community
organizers. His voice is crisp and clear, and his footsteps on the
pavement are sharp. A pragmatic primer for all radicals.”—Vijay
Prashad, author of The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the
Third World
“Eric Mann is a bridge builder, a gifted organizer who unites
Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and whites in the fight for social justice
and change. Playbook for Progressives is the Rules for Radicals for
the twenty-first century.”—Rodolfo Acuña, author of Occupied
America: A History of Chicanos
“Based on concrete examples of organizers who transformed their
countries, communities, and workplaces, Playbook for Progressives
is a beacon that effectively illustrates the techniques and skills
of transformative community organizing. A must-read for individuals
and organizations that want to change the ideological and economic
roots of oppression.”—Melvin H. King, emeritus faculty, MIT; author
of Chain of Change; and founder of the South End Technology
Center
Ask a Question About this Product More... |