Roots To Power

by Staples, Lee

• ISBN13: 9780275969974
• ISBN10: 0275969975
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-12-30
• Publisher: Praeger Pub Text

Summary

When ordinary people band together to gain more control over their life conditions, the first order of business is to organize in pursuit of collective action. This how-to manual presents strategies, tactics, methods, and techniques that community members can use to set their own goals, select issues, campaign for these issues, recruit members, develop leaders, hold effective meetings, conduct research, lobby politicians and legislators, and get the word out to the media. The author brings more than three decades of experience to the task of explaining root principles for developing and exercising collective power; he moves effortlessly from such broad discussions into providing specific tips for effective organizing methods and techniques. Armed with the information in this book, any community can bring about social change through collective action.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xi
Richard A. Cloward and Frances Fox Piven
Preface: From Roots to Tips	xvii
Acknowledgments: With a Lot of Help from My Friends	xxi
1 "Power to the People"
Basic Organizing Philosophy and Goals	1	(26)
Four Arenas and Two Approaches	4	(10)
Elemental Elements: Turf, Issue, Identity, and Workplace	4	(2)
Two Routes to Power: Community Development and Social Action	6	(6)
Limits and Possibilities	12	(2)
Organizing for Power	14	(13)
Ten Tools for Taking Power	14	(6)
Building a Power Base	20	(7)
2 "Locate and Relate. Motivate and Integrate. Facilitate and Educate. ACTIVATE!"
The Role of the Organizer	27	(20)
An Overview of Underlying Principles	27	(7)
Insider/Outsider Upsides and Downsides	34	(13)
3 "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'?"
Organizing Models and Methods	47	(52)
Blueprints for Action	47	(14)
Who	47	(6)
What	53	(2)
From Whom	55	(1)
How	56	(5)
The Organizing Process	61	(38)
The Model: Groundwork, Organizing Committee, Recruitment, and Formation	62	(37)
4 "Analyze, Strategize, and Catalyze"
Issues and Strategy	99	(44)
Choosing Issues	99	(3)
Organizational Mileage Considerations	102	(13)
Consistency	103	(1)
Unity	103	(2)
Capacity	105	(1)
Growth	106	(1)
Education	107	(2)
Credit	109	(1)
Resources	110	(2)
Allies	112	(1)
Tactics	112	(2)
Victory	114	(1)
Developing a Winning Strategy	115	(28)
Cutting and Framing the Issue: Action Group, Goals and Objectives, Target System, and Handles	116	(11)
Conducting a Strategic Analysis: Opposition, Support, Objective Conditions, and SWOT Assessment	127	(16)
5 "Moving into Action"
Making and Carrying Out Action Plans	143	(42)
Tactics	143	(4)
Countertactics and the Seven D's of Defense	147	(10)
Deflecting	148	(1)
Delaying	149	(1)
Deceiving	150	(1)
Dividing	151	(3)
Denying	154	(1)
Discrediting and Destroying	155	(2)
Timetable	157	(2)
A Multiphase Action Plan	159	(3)
Recruitment, Preparation, and Assessment	162	(8)
Recruitment	162	(3)
Preparation	165	(3)
Assessment	168	(2)
ACORN's Campaign against Household Finance	170	(15)
Maude Hurd and Lisa Donner
Background	170	(2)
Household Finance	172	(1)
Building and Engaging the Base	173	(1)
Building the Case	173	(1)
Direct Action	174	(1)
Media	175	(1)
Shareholder Strategy	176	(1)
Legal Action	176	(1)
Wall Street	177	(1)
Legislation	177	(1)
Regulatory Strategy	178	(1)
Legal Settlement	179	(3)
Conclusion	182
6 "Keeping It All Together"
Organizational Development and Maintenance	185	(34)
Broadening the Base	185	(6)
Leadership Development	191	(5)
Characteristics and Qualities	191	(1)
Developmental Methods	192	(4)
Group Products and Processes	196	(7)
Composition, Contracting, and Culture	196	(3)
Decision Making	199	(1)
Membership and Leader Roles	200	(2)
Conflict	202	(1)
Conducting Successful Meetings	203	(7)
Making Change with COINS	210	(9)
Decision-Making Structures	211	(1)
Operating Policies and Procedures	212	(1)
Programming	213	(1)
Staffing	213	(6)
7 "Nuts and Bolts, Some Do's and Don'ts"
A Short Collection	219	(124)
Introduction	219	(3)
Research for Organizing	222	(12)
Will Collette
Real Clout: Rules and Tools for Winning Public Policy Campaigns	234	(20)
Judith C. Meredith and Catherine Dunham
Using the Law for Leverage	254	(10)
Mac McCreight
Media Relations	264	(6)
Eric Weltman
Using Technology for Grassroots Organizing	270	(12)
Maria Roberts-DeGennaro
Negotiations: Using a Weapon as a Way Out	282	(7)
Mark J. Splain
Grassroots Community Organizations and Voting: How to Do Voter Registration, Education, and Mobilization for 501c3 Organizations and Related Nonprofits	289	(13)
George Pillsbury
Community-Labor Coalitions	302	(7)
Louise Simmons
Coalitions and Other Relations	309	(7)
Tim Sampson
Coalitions: Essential Tools for Organizing	316	(15)
Beth B. Rosenthal and Terry Mizrahi
Memberships and Dues	331	(4)
David Beckwith
Dues and Grassroots Fundraising	335	(4)
Helene O'Brien and Madeleine Adamson
Meetings: Grab Those Details by the Tail	339	(4)
Lee Staples
Appendix	343	(10)
References	353	(4)
Afterword: After Words, Take Action	357	(2)
Index	359	(8)
About the Author and Contributors	367