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All Rise: Somebodies, Nobodies, and the Politics of Dignity
In his groundbreaking book Somebodies and Nobodies, Robert Fuller identified a form of domination that everyone has experienced but few dare to rankism, abuse of the power inherent in rank. Low rank—signifying weakness—marks people for abuse and discrimination in much the same way that race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation have long done. In All Rise , Fuller examines the personal, professional, and political costs of rankism and provides compelling models and strategies for realizing a post-rankist world in which everyone’s dignity is upheld.
Fuller makes the case that rankism is the chief remaining obstacle to achieving liberty and justice for all, and shows how we can root it out. He doesn’t propose that we do away with rank—without it organizations become dysfunctional—but rather argues for a “dignitarian” society in which rankism is no longer tolerated. He begins by demonstrating how rankism is rife in our social and civic institutions and then explores alternative dignitarian models for education, health care, politics, and religion.
All Rise describes an emerging “politics of dignity” that bridges the conservative-liberal divide to put the “We” back in “We the people.” It argues that democracy is a work in progress and that its next natural step is the building of a dignitarian society.
Fuller makes the case that rankism is the chief remaining obstacle to achieving liberty and justice for all, and shows how we can root it out. He doesn’t propose that we do away with rank—without it organizations become dysfunctional—but rather argues for a “dignitarian” society in which rankism is no longer tolerated. He begins by demonstrating how rankism is rife in our social and civic institutions and then explores alternative dignitarian models for education, health care, politics, and religion.
All Rise describes an emerging “politics of dignity” that bridges the conservative-liberal divide to put the “We” back in “We the people.” It argues that democracy is a work in progress and that its next natural step is the building of a dignitarian society.
- GenresNonfiction
216 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
5 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Robert W. Fuller
32 books30 followersRobert W. Fuller is author of Somebodies and Nobodies, All Rise: Somebodies, Nobodies, and the Politics of Dignity, and (with co-author Pamela Gerloff) Dignity for All: How to Create a World Without Rankism. He coined the term rankism and is active worldwide in the Dignity Movement. His latest books are Religion and Science: A Beautiful Friendship?; Genomes, Menomes, Wenomes: Neuroscience and Human Dignity; Belonging: A Memoir, The Wisdom of Science; The Theory of Everybody; and The Rowan Tree: A Novel.
He earned his Ph.D. in physics at Princeton University and taught at Columbia, where he co-authored Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics. He then served as president of Oberlin College.
On a trip to India, where he was a consultant to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Fuller witnessed firsthand the horrors of genocidal famine. Subsequently, he met with President Carter to propose the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger.
During the 1980s, Fuller traveled frequently to the USSR, working to improve the Cold War relationship with the U.S. For many years, he served as chairman of the global nonprofit Internews, which promotes democracy via free and independent media.
Fuller is now an international authority on dignity and rankism (abusive, discriminatory, or exploitative behavior towards those of lower rank). In 2011, he was the keynote speaker at "The National Conference on Dignity for All" hosted by the president of Bangladesh. Fuller has also served as visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Science and the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bangalore. His work has been featured in scores of books and publications including the New York Times, O Magazine, and The Contemporary Goffman.
In his books, Fuller makes the case that rankism is a major obstacle to organizational effectiveness and develops a “politics of dignity” that addresses issues of social justice.
He earned his Ph.D. in physics at Princeton University and taught at Columbia, where he co-authored Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics. He then served as president of Oberlin College.
On a trip to India, where he was a consultant to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Fuller witnessed firsthand the horrors of genocidal famine. Subsequently, he met with President Carter to propose the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger.
During the 1980s, Fuller traveled frequently to the USSR, working to improve the Cold War relationship with the U.S. For many years, he served as chairman of the global nonprofit Internews, which promotes democracy via free and independent media.
Fuller is now an international authority on dignity and rankism (abusive, discriminatory, or exploitative behavior towards those of lower rank). In 2011, he was the keynote speaker at "The National Conference on Dignity for All" hosted by the president of Bangladesh. Fuller has also served as visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Science and the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bangalore. His work has been featured in scores of books and publications including the New York Times, O Magazine, and The Contemporary Goffman.
In his books, Fuller makes the case that rankism is a major obstacle to organizational effectiveness and develops a “politics of dignity” that addresses issues of social justice.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 25, 2017
I like the general message of this book, and can't argue with it: "rankism" is the superset, or common factor maybe is better, to pretty much all other -ism's. And fighting rankism can't involve more rankism e.g. moral superiority.
But I feel the book really gives short shrift to the question innateness (how innate is it?) or of how to deal with that (beyond, "we'll have to culturally suppress it.")
It uses women's lib and the civil rights movement as examples, but opinion carries quite a bit on whether this movements have been as successful as is commonly thought, or as complete as commonly thought. He does take about backlash, and the proper/useful role of conservatism.... But it all seemed very high level and left me, somewhat, as if I'd read a rallying speech from a campaign stop...
Which, to be fair, is perhaps the intention.
Certainly have me the beginnings of a framework to think about a whole range of social issues/movements/etc. in a more or less unified way.
But I feel the book really gives short shrift to the question innateness (how innate is it?) or of how to deal with that (beyond, "we'll have to culturally suppress it.")
It uses women's lib and the civil rights movement as examples, but opinion carries quite a bit on whether this movements have been as successful as is commonly thought, or as complete as commonly thought. He does take about backlash, and the proper/useful role of conservatism.... But it all seemed very high level and left me, somewhat, as if I'd read a rallying speech from a campaign stop...
Which, to be fair, is perhaps the intention.
Certainly have me the beginnings of a framework to think about a whole range of social issues/movements/etc. in a more or less unified way.
May 29, 2008
This book was fairly idealistic but I think idealists and idealism can be very good at times. Maybe Fuller will be proven to be a visionary but the lack of current feasibility made me only give this book 4 stars.
That being said, Fuller did make a great case and presented a coherent theory with backup material. He also was practical by giving applications of how to apply the concepts and what it would look like. It is a great idea, even if it seems utopian at the moment.
That being said, Fuller did make a great case and presented a coherent theory with backup material. He also was practical by giving applications of how to apply the concepts and what it would look like. It is a great idea, even if it seems utopian at the moment.
January 27, 2016
An excellent read that explores rankism from different sides like education, politics and culture.
May 11, 2012
The last frontier. Getting rid of pecking orders !
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews