Building Power in the City by Johanna Brenner This essay introduces two municipal movements (Richmond, California and Barcelona, Spain) which are explored further in our reading list and argues that combining deep organizing with electoral politics can transform our cities. Read Article …
Readings
Section I: Envisioning a Democratic City
Right to the City Because cities serve as the centers of global capital, they hold great potential as spaces of social struggle against capital, particularly by bringing participatory democracy to life. Social movements worldwide are inventing new strategies for challenging the ruling apparatus and …
Section II: Social Movements and City Politics
These readings illustrate how progressive social movements in Barcelona, Spain, and Richmond, California, took power through the electoral process. It details how organizers built bases of support in the community, assembled coalitions, and decided on campaigns and platforms democratically, turning …