Stir It Up: Lessons in Community Organizing and Advocacy

by Rinku Sen

"Stir It Up"--written by renowned activist and trainer Rinku Sen--identifies the key priorities and strategies that can help advance the mission of any social change group. This groundbreaking book addresses the unique challenges and opportunities the new global economy poses for activist groups and provides concrete guidance for community organizations of all orientations.Sponsored by the Ms. Foundation, "Stir It Up" draws on lessons learned from Sen's groundbreaking work with women's groups organizing for economic justice. Throughout the book, Sen walks readers through the steps of building and mobilizing a constituency and implementing key strategies that can effect social change. The book is filled with illustrative case studies that highlight best organizing practices in action and each chapter contains tools that can help groups tailor Sen's model for their own organizational needs. "Stir It Up" will show your organization how Design and conduct actions that further campaign goalsDevelop effective leadersBuild strong alliances and networksGenerate and use solid researchDesign an effective media strategyPut in place a plan for internal political education and consciousness-raisingWith the information, tools, and suggestions outlined in this book your organization can use your "good idea" to change the world.

Genres: Activism, Nonfiction, Social Work, Social Justice, Politics, Social Change, Social

288 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Rinku Sen is president and executive director of the Applied Research Center (ARC) and the publisher of ColorLines magazine. She is the author of Stir It Up: Lessons on Community Organizing and editor of We Are the Ones We Are Waiting For: Women of Color Organizing for Transformation. Fekkak Mamdouh is cofounder of Restaurant Opportunities Center United, the country s first national restaurant worker organization."

Reviews

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this because it had been recommended as an alternative to the grassroots organizing model presented by the Midwest Academy (known for its Grassroots Organizing Workshop - GROW). I think the book did a great job of breaking down case studies in addition to the ideas behind organizing from a racial justice perspective. As someone who has already been through CTWO's training, however, I didn't take as much from the book as I had hoped. All that said, I think it's a great resource and introduction to those interested in models of community organizing.

[Elisabeth Bialosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great informational book about the history of organizing and what current organizations are doing to push progressive movements and policy forward.

[Lowell AfdahlRice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated

[Kate Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great text! (I just can't bear to give an informative book 5 stars -- I reserve that last star for a work of beauty)

Important for community organizers, to figure out how to root your work in a feminist, anti-racist culture -- and how to understand groups that don't (personally useful to give me a vocabulary for macho, middle-class organizers. Before reading this book, I only knew that I didn't like them).

[Jasmin.M ياسمين منصور · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got the chance to read this book in my community organization and development ... Very insightful so much to learn about what and community organzing works post alinskey model or organizing .... I wish this book is translated into Arabic we have so many community leaders and uprising protest leaders that need to be more educated about community organizing and how to lead....
If anyone wants to be an organizer this book will give a clear idea of where to start ✨✨✨

[Anne]

Had to return to the library. Also, kept trying to read it right before bed and falling asleep in the middle of the sentence - though I think that says more about me than about the book. I'll pick it up again later.

[Mk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for our beautiful present and future community organizers. Lots of excellent examples. However, like many community organizing tools, it serves lite on youth issues.

[Anjali · Rating 5 out of 5]

rinku sen's book is gangster! she's smart and savvy about the world of organizing and also rooted in a really strong understanding of US-based histories of struggle. Plus, her framing of the new organizing landscape is both warm and critical of saul alinksy's methods and uses race/class/gender as an analytic starting-point, rather than as an add-on (as many who write about "new organizing" do...)

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

useful for organizers.

[cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

got this from a friend a while back - pretty good, especially for young activists (which i was at the time, in all respects)

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

something i check out every week or so, and find insight.

[Glen Gersmehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

fine organizing manual