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Listen, Organize, Act! Organizing & Democratic Politics

The Listen, Organize, Act podcast focuses on the history and contemporary practice of community organizing and democratic politics. Alongside this specific focus are two others: the first is to explore how organizing connects democracy and religion, particularly at a local level; the second is to explore the visions and practices that shape small 'd,' participatory democratic politics. The name of the podcast reflects these concerns. Through a series of conversations with folk who live and breathe the work of organizing, each series looks at democracy as not first and foremost about a system of government, or set of laws, or an ideology but as rooted in three things. The first is a commitment to listen to others different to oneself because their experience, their story, who they are as a person matters. Listening honors fundamental premises of democracy, as it marks a way of respecting the dignity of each individual, the importance of dialogue as against killing and coercion as means of resolving conflicts, and that people should have a say in decisions that affect them. The second is that democracy does not just happen, it needs organizing. And if it is to be democratic, it needs people organizing between themselves to determine their living and working conditions. If ordinary people don’t get organized then they are subject to others acting on them and their living and working conditions being determined by systems and structures controlled by others who either won’t listen to them, don’t have their interests at heart, or are actively hostile, wanting them silenced or disenfranchised. And finally, democracy lives or dies by shared action. Listening and organizing generate the means of coming together, but at a certain point people must act together to move the world as it is towards becoming a more just and generous one in which all may flourish. Each episode is a stand alone discussion, but when listened to together, the episodes build on each other to form an integrated series. Season 1 is a foundational course in the meaning, purpose and mechanics of how to do community organizing and build a more just and generous common life through democratic means. Season 2 is a foundational course in the meaning, purpose, and character of democracy.

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S2.E8: The Bible & Democratic Organizing - Part 2

Dec 23, 2022
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S2.E8: The Bible & Democratic Organizing - Part 1

Dec 10, 2022
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S2.E7: Bernard Crick on Politics & its Enemies

Nov 29, 2022
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S2.E6: Sheldon Wolin & Radical Democracy

Oct 21, 2022
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S2.E5: Hannah Arendt

Sep 24, 2022
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S2.E4.2: Bayard Rustin - Part 2

Sep 8, 2022
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S2.E4.1: Bayard Rustin - Part 1

Aug 29, 2022
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Ep3.2: Ella Baker - Part 2

Aug 18, 2022
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S2.E.3.1: Ella Baker - Part 1

Aug 18, 2022
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S2.E2.2: Saul Alinsky - Part 2

Jul 23, 2022
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S2.E2.1: Saul Alinsky - Part 1

Jul 21, 2022
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S2.E1: Thucydides and the Athenian-Melian Dialog

Jul 15, 2022
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Introduction to Season 2

Jul 7, 2022
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S1.E11: Campaigns as Public Action

May 5, 2021
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S1.E10: Strategy, Tactics, & Direct Action

Apr 22, 2021
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S1.E9: Organized Money II: Economic Democracy & the Solidarity Economy

Apr 14, 2021
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S1.E8: Organized Money I: Money Power & Fundraising

Apr 7, 2021
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S1.E7: Popular Education: Organizing Knowledge & Learning to be Political

Mar 30, 2021
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S1.E6: Institutions: Why They're Vital for Democratic Politics

Mar 25, 2021
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S1.E5: Leadership, But Not As You Know It

Mar 16, 2021
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S1.E4: The Ability to Act: Power Over and Power With

Mar 9, 2021
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S1.E3: The Other Basic Tool of Organizing: House Meetings

Mar 2, 2021
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S1.E2: The Basic Tool of Organizing: The One to One or Relational Meeting

Feb 15, 2021
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S1.E1: What is Community Organizing? And Why is it Needed?

Feb 15, 2021