Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements(Transgressing Boundaries: Studies in Black Politics and Black Communities)

Examining the significance of the Movement for Black Lives, Reckoning uncovers a broadly applicable argument for the democratic necessity of social movements.Barack Obama famously said that the purpose of social movements is to get a seat at the table. However, as Deva Woodly argues in Reckoning - a sweeping account of the meaning and purpose of the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) - the value of such movements is something much more profound: they are necessary for the health and survival of democracy. Drawing from on-the-ground interviews with activists in the movement, Woodly analyzes the emergence of the M4BL, its organizational structure and culture, and its strategies and tactics. She also shows how a unique political philosophy - Radical Black Feminist Pragmatism - served as an intellectual foundation of the movement and documents the role it played in transforming public meanings, public opinion, and policy. Interweaving theoretical and empirical observations throughout, Woodly provides both a unique portrait of the movement and a powerful explanation of the labor social movements do in democracy. A major work that speaks to both scholars and activists, Woodly's account of the rise and spread of M4BL will reshape our understanding of why the movement is so important - and so necessary - for democracy.

Table of Contents:
Preface: Who Am I to Write this Movement? Part One: Democratic Precipice Introduction: The Democratic Necessity of Social Movements Chapter 1: Emergence: A Contemporary History Part Two: Democratic Necessity Chapter 2: Political Philosophy: Radical Black Feminist Pragmatism Chapter 3: The Politics of Care and the Idea of Healing Justice Chapter 4: The Art of Organizing Part Three: Democratic Possibility Chapter 5: Movement Means Changing Politics: Discourse, Tactics, Policy and a New Political Ecosystem Conclusion: On Futurity Bibliography Appendix A: Examples of Bailouts and Regular Bailout Actions Appendix B: Organizations Partnered with Bail Funds Appendix C: Police Oversight Appendix D: Progressive Reform Prosecutors Appendix E: Movement Syllabi Index

About the Author :
Deva R. Woodly is Associate Professor of Political Science at The New School and the author of The Politics of Common Sense (Oxford).

Review :
Deva Woodly's Reckoning identifies a distinct political theory within the Movement for Black Lives: radical Black feminist pragmatism. Her explication of that philosophy is brilliant, sure to be ground-shifting in democratic theory. Reckoning is methodologically innovative, lyrically written, and politically wise. Dr. Deva R. Woodly's Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements is a vital contribution to the academic canon of analytical political texts. It serves as both a historical narrative and a case study of a movement. Beyond this, the book is also an exemplary contemporary radical Black feminist text that pays tribute to the many women who have laid the foundation for social justice movements. Reckoning guides the reader from BLM's point of genesis in 2014, through the evolution of #BLM to the creation of a national network...The reader is given a deeper understanding of the depth and complexity of this movement. By the end of this book (two hundred and sixteen pages, two highlighters, and a full pen later), I felt empowered and inspired. Dr. Woodly reminds us of the power and responsibility we have to actively create the democracy we want. The question is, "So what shall we do?" This stunning work by Woodly (The New School), author of The Politics of Common Sense, argues for the necessity of community organizing and racial justice to fortify democracy and offers readers a lens through which to comprehend this phenomenon...It is a blueprint for recentering Americans' understanding of social movements, democracy, and power dynamics on lived experiences, intentions to thrive, restorative justice, and the breaking down of harmful systems that hurt marginalized communities. Woodly's book is a necessary intervention for anyone who might doubt that social movements are prerequisites for democracy. Reckoning forces us to grapple with key questions about the nature of political change, to consider how we move from the present to the future we hope for. Woodly's powerful framework helps readers think more broadly about the pragmatic attachments of social movements by offering us hope in the practices of communal joy in struggle. Reckoning offers a path forward in the study and application of Black politics. Woodly demonstrates that real-world politics at the margins offers fresh ideas to push forward stagnant disciplines and provides a model for how scholars can engage with and learn from movement.