Missing Class: How Seeing Class Cultures Can Strengthen Social Movement Groups
"Organizing for change is hard work, but it gets easier when there's honest talk about difference and solidarity. This groundbreaking book will likely start some transformative conversations!"—Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org"Betsy Leondar-Wright can always be counted on to raise class from the mist of myth in U.S. society. She reaffirms the critical need for a class framework in understanding the fundamental political, economic, and social inequities of our time."—Bill Fletcher Jr., coauthor ofSolidarity Divided"Betsy Leondar-Wright brings fancy French theory down to earth in this important study of why class cultures talk past each other. Anyone who has sat through the jargon of a professional consultant or read obscure tracts by activist-scholars and said, 'Huh?' will enjoy this book. Take it to the next meeting you go to."—James M. Jasper, CUNY Graduate Center"Class—the one thing most Americans never discuss and really don't understand—impacts the outcome of collective efforts to accomplish social change. If you want to really understand both the successes and the conflicts within the movements you care about, you must read this book! It is brilliant, fascinating, and incredibly readable."—Thom Hartmann, author ofRebooting the American Dream, host of the nationally syndicatedThom Hartmann Program"Betsy Leondar-Wright's book is crucially important for social justice activists. She offers much-needed advice about how to acknowledge your class background and harness it for the greater good. Eye-opening and insightful, this book provides a new way forward."—Matthew Rothschild, Senior Editor,The Progressive"Missing Classis an essential primer for building cross-class relationships for social justice. It contains keen insight and practical suggestions for activists and organizers on how to bridge class differences and to tap the resources within all class cultures for solutions to group challenges."—Paul Kivel, author ofUprooting Racism, www.paulkivel.com