Educating for Action

An inspiring instructional handbook for transforming idealism into social change

The pursuit of freedom and justice is a timeless one, but new activists may not know where to begin, while more experienced ones often become jaded or fatigued. The task of constructing a new society, free from oppression and inequality, can be overwhelming. Tools for facilitating motivation, engagement, and communication can mean the difference between failure and success for activists and social movements.

Educating for Action collects the voices of activists whose combined experience in confronting injustice has generated a wealth of key insights for creating social change. This practical guide explores such topics as:

• Community activism and direct democracy
• Conflict negotiation, communication, and rhetoric
• Law, the educational system, and lifestyle activism
• Social media skills, conference planning, and online organizing

Written in an inspirational tone, Educating for Action consciously straddles the line between street activism and classroom instruction. Bridging the gap between these two worlds makes for an engaging and instructive manual for social justice, helping students, teachers, and larger activist communities turn their idealism into action.

Jason Del Gandio is a scholar-activist and assistant professor of rhetoric and public advocacy at Temple University. He is the author of Rhetoric for Radicals: A Handbook for 21st Century Activists .

Anthony J. Nocella II is a scholar-activist and senior fellow of the Dispute Resolution Institute at the Hamline Law School. He is a long-time anti-racism, youth justice, prison abolition, hip hop, animal, disability, and Earth liberation activist and has published over fifty scholarly articles and book chapters and sixteen books.

Educating for Action shares the voices of activists generating a wealth of key insights for creating social change. An engaging, practical handbook this organizing manifesto addresses everything from community organizing to direct democracy, conflict resolution, communication skills, leveraging social media and conference planning.

An inspiring instructional handbook for transforming idealism into social change

The pursuit of freedom and justice is a timeless one, but new activists may not know where to begin, while more experienced ones often become jaded or fatigued. The task of constructing a new society, free from oppression and inequality, can be overwhelming. Tools for facilitating motivation, engagement, and communication can mean the difference between failure and success for activists and social movements.

Educating for Action collects the voices of activists whose combined experience in confronting injustice has generated a wealth of key insights for creating social change. This practical guide explores such topics as:

• Community activism and direct democracy
• Conflict negotiation, communication, and rhetoric
• Law, the educational system, and lifestyle activism
• Social media skills, conference planning, and online organizing

Written in an inspirational tone, Educating for Action consciously straddles the line between street activism and classroom instruction. Bridging the gap between these two worlds makes for an engaging and instructive manual for social justice, helping students, teachers, and larger activist communities turn their idealism into action.

Jason Del Gandio is a scholar-activist and assistant professor of rhetoric and public advocacy at Temple University. He is the author of Rhetoric for Radicals: A Handbook for 21st Century Activists .

Anthony J. Nocella II is a scholar-activist and senior fellow of the Dispute Resolution Institute at the Hamline Law School. He is a long-time anti-racism, youth justice, prison abolition, hip hop, animal, disability, and Earth liberation activist and has published over fifty scholarly articles and book chapters and sixteen books.

Acknowledgments
Foreword: Reading Peace Education Joy James
Preface: Teaching Peace Peter McLaren

Introduction: Peace as a Political Force Jason Del Gandio and Anthony J. Nocella II

Part 1: Starting With Me
1. Personal Lifestyle Larry Albert Butz
2. Communication and Rhetoric Jason Del Gandio

Part 2: Working with Others
3. Participation and Democracy Joshua Ryan Holst
4. Transformative Justice and Conflict Transformation Anthony J. Nocella II, Melissa Chiprin, Anniessa Antar, and Alisha Page

Part 3: Getting into the Streets
5. Organizing Your Community Drew Robert Winter
6. Activist Guidelines and Case Studies Jason Del Gandio, James Generic, Aaron Zellhoefer, and Anthony J. Nocella II

Part 4: Social Networks
7. The Politics of Planning: Conference Organizing as an Act of Resistance Jenny Grubbs and Michael Loadenthal
8. Social Media and Online Organizing Jeanette Russell

Part 5: Institutional Change
9. The Laws and Lawyers of Social Change Dara Lovitz
10. The Courage to Teach Critically: Anti-Oppression and Pro-Justice Dialogues in the Classroom Rita Verma

Epilogue: Thankfulness, Mutual Recognition, and Appreciation Kim Socha and Anthony J. Nocella II

Resources for Peace and Justice Activists
Contributors' Biographies
Endnotes
Index