Social Change and Intersectional Activism - (Politics of Intersectionality) by Sharon Doetsch-Kidder (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Social Change and Intersectional Activism: The Spirit of Social Movement finds in oral histories of "intersectional activism" - activism that focuses on people who face multiple forms of oppression or discrimination (racism, classism, sexism, etc.) - narratives of love, faith, and joy that drive, guide, and sustain the practice of social change. Reading these texts in relation to feminist, queer, and race theory and Buddhist philosophy, it argues that an understanding of spirit is crucial to explaining the power that social movements have to change hearts, minds, and social structures and to understanding the ways in which leaders of social change organizations influence others. By highlighting often-neglected elements of antiracist feminism as articulated by influential theorists and enacted by contemporary activists, it contributes to scholarship in several disciplines, including gender and women's studies, ethnic studies, LGBTQ studies, and social movement theory. Focusing on the best of what activists do, this project draws from their stories lessons and reminders about the pleasures and wonders of social change and the power of kindness and principled action in the face of injustice"--

Book Synopsis

Reading texts in relation to feminist, queer, and race theory and Buddhist philosophy, this book argues that an understanding of spirit is critical to explaining the power that social movements have to change hearts, minds, and social structures.

Review Quotes

"Social change is not possible without love. This book translates the voices, stories, philosophies and body-mind-emotions of advocates for social love, from Gloria Anzaldua to Che Guevara." - Chela Sandoval, associate professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of Methodology of the Oppressed

"Social Change and Intersectional Activism testifies to spiritual activism's transformational potential and radical possibilities for the 21st century. Doetsch-Kidder reminds us of the crucial role Spirit plays in progressive social/environmental justice work." - AnaLouise Keating, author of Teaching Transformation: Transcultural Classroom Dialogues

About the Author

Sharon Doetsch-Kidder is an independent scholar based in the Washington, DC area. She completed her PhD in English and Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.