Exploring the impact of grassroots organizing in political campaigns, this chapter focuses on the Obama campaign of 2008 and the empowerment of individuals through training programs and relational networks. It discusses the transformational power of social movements like Occupy Wall Street and highlights the challenges of transitioning from grassroots mobilization to governance.
Whether trying to influence involvement in foreign wars, fight for social justice, or win an election, effective organizing is crucial. Here’s my 2012 conversation with MARSHALL GANZ, who dropped out of Harvard in 1964 to participate in Freedom Summer, worked for years as one of the lead organizers for United Farm Workers, and helped devise the grass-roots model for Obama’s 2008 campaign. Now a lecturer in public policy at Harvard, I can say without reservation, we need to learn from him. You can find more at marshallganz.com