Synopses & Reviews
I highly recommAnd Quickening as an extremely useful and practical guide. It reaffirms that personal and social change are intertwined; that each of us counts; that our lives do make a difference; and that, through involvement and by developing our skills, we can make an even greater difference.
--ReverAnd Jesse L. Jackson, president and founder, National Rainbow Coalition
An antidote to cynicism . . . an essential 'how-to' manual for anyone interested in translating values into positive results.
--Ben Cohen, Ben & Jerry's
Exploding the popular myths about public life, power, and self-interest that stop individuals from discovering the rewards of public involvement, this thoughtful resource offers practical advice from ordinary Americans on how to get more involved. Details guidelines anyone can use to master the skills required to be effective in public life.
Synopsis
From national political campaigns to local community action groups, a grassroots approach to change is taking hold of America today. Ordinary citizens, driven by a desire to go beyond rhetoric and ideology and address problems in a direct, practical way, are changing the way we live, work, and govern ourselves. The Quickening of America reveals how this new approach to solving our problems is indeed working—in local government, education, the workplace, human services, and the media. The authors criss-crossed America in search of democracy in action and found moving stories of ordinary people coming together to make their institutions meet their needs.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 317-325) and index.
About the Author
FRANCES MOORE LAPPE is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including the best-selling Diet for a Small Planet (1971). Her writings have appeared in publications as diverse as Harper's, The New York Times, and Reader's Digest. She is cofounder of the Institute for Food and Development Policy and lectures frequently on issues of democracy in action, food and hunger, and other important issues. PAUL MARTIN DU BOIS has authored two textbooks and over twenty articles, and has served on the faculty and as vice president of two colleges. Lappe and Du Bois are codirectors of the Center for Living Democracy.
Table of Contents
OVERCOMING THE MYTHS THAT LIMIT US.
1. A Powerful New Concept for Effective Living.
2. We Each Have a Public Life.
3. Claiming Our Self-Interest (It's Not Selfishness).
4. Discovering Power (It's Not a Dirty Word).
AMERICA COMING ALIVE: THE INVISIBLE REVOLUTION.
5. Our Jobs, Our Economy, and Our Lives.
6. Making the Media Our Voice.
7. From Client to Citizen.
8. Governing "By the People".
9. Educating Real-World Problem Solvers.
LIVING DEMOCRACY: THE PRACTICAL TOOLS.
10. Mastering the Arts of Democracy: One-on-One Skills.
11. Mastering the Arts of Democracy: Group Skills.
12. Embracing the Democratic Self.
13. What, No Manifesto?
Resources for Building a Living Democracy.