New Books in Political Science Sasha Davis, "Replace the State: How to Change the World When Elections and Protests Fail" (U Minnesota Press, 2025)
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Oct 1, 2025 Sasha Davis, a Professor of environmental studies and author, dives deep into activism with her book discussing how to effect social change when traditional methods fall short. She explores the limitations of current institutions and the power of grassroots movements. Notably, she shares strategies from Indigenous resistance against environmental degradation and military occupations. Davis emphasizes the importance of direct governance, offering practical steps for local organizing and fostering a sense of community empowerment. This insightful conversation is a rallying cry for activism.
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Transformation Over Resilience
- Existing institutions are neither inclined nor equipped to solve our deepest crises.
- We need transformation, not resilience, to create sustainable and just communities.
Research Across Colonial Contexts
- Sasha Davis studied environmental harms from U.S. colonial and military projects across the Pacific and Caribbean.
- Seeing similar activist tactics in those places inspired her broader analysis of movements that take governance into their own hands.
Taking Over Decision-Making
- 'Replace the state' means creating local decision-making and sovereignty outside existing institutions.
- Movements establish their own governance when the state is unresponsive or harmful.
