Summary: Have you ever heard of the term “Alinsky-style organizing” and the rules that are involved? For example, “A tactic that drags on too long is a drag” and “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Here in Chicago, Saul Alinksy is often mentioned both for what his analysis is missing, as well as for the helpful basics his tradition offers. Written shortly before his death in 1972, Saul Alinsky was a community organizer in Chicago who wrote about the power of place-based organizing and collective action in the book Rules for Radicals. Since he lacked a radical analysis, this book can be hard to sit with and take seriously. However, we were so grateful to sit down with Maira Khwaja of the Invisible Institute to talk about the highlights, lessons learned, and ways we might incorporate Alinsky’s approach as community organizers committed to abolition. Maybe skip reading this one and instead tune in for highlights, critiques, and salvageable gems!
