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Reviews
Joyful Militancy: Building Thriving Resistance in Toxic Times by carla bergman, Nick Montgomery
ohmygoshman's review
5.0
I found the idea of joyful militancy to be a really useful concept in helping me think about how I engage with activist spaces and activism in general.
magzthawriter's review against another edition
It was a library loan and my time ran out. Definitely better as an audiobook or physical book for me though.
howdyhoward's review against another edition
5.0
The writing was so engaging and I flew through this. Very insightful, I can tell a lot of thought went into this. Overall a delight to read.
norvis13's review
4.0
Joyful Militancy is a brief and thought-provoking book about the ways that radical movements become infected by rigidity, self-criticism, and power structures that prevent them from achieving their full potential. bergman and Montgomery postulate a form of practice that they call "joyful militancy" in (according to them, as I'm not independently familiar) the Spinozan tradition of "joy:" not a simple emotion of elation or happiness, but rather a condition characterized by flourishing, by energetic growth, liberation, and the enlargement of capacity. It's about growing beyond your own borders - psychologically, emotionally, socially, collectively.
This joyful militancy is contrasted to "sad militancy," or, to use the phrase they eventually land on, "rigid radicalism." Such radicalism is characterized by rigidity, intense criticism without joy, obsession with the right way, power structures, perfectionism, etc. It is, in other words, riddled with the types of thinking characterized by what the authors describe as "Empire," the hegemonic capitalist, patriarchal, racial, colonial system in which we all live. I'm not remarkable for my (fairly limited) involvement in spaces that could be described as even slightly radical, but I certainly recognize the phenomenon they describe. It's deadening and deadly in such a space - it makes liberation into an exhausting struggle rather than a joyful (in the Spinozan sense) effort.
The one thing I wished for from the book was for them to offer a few more examples, descriptions, and visions for what this joyful militancy could (or does) look like. But given the nature of such work and the way that rigid radicalism operates, it's hard to fault them for this: they're repeatedly careful not to turn joyful militancy into a prescription for a way of being or of being radical. It's situational, individual, and responsive - a practice, not a formula. That's as it should be, though it does leave one wondering how to begin. The only place to begin seems to be within ourselves.
This joyful militancy is contrasted to "sad militancy," or, to use the phrase they eventually land on, "rigid radicalism." Such radicalism is characterized by rigidity, intense criticism without joy, obsession with the right way, power structures, perfectionism, etc. It is, in other words, riddled with the types of thinking characterized by what the authors describe as "Empire," the hegemonic capitalist, patriarchal, racial, colonial system in which we all live. I'm not remarkable for my (fairly limited) involvement in spaces that could be described as even slightly radical, but I certainly recognize the phenomenon they describe. It's deadening and deadly in such a space - it makes liberation into an exhausting struggle rather than a joyful (in the Spinozan sense) effort.
The one thing I wished for from the book was for them to offer a few more examples, descriptions, and visions for what this joyful militancy could (or does) look like. But given the nature of such work and the way that rigid radicalism operates, it's hard to fault them for this: they're repeatedly careful not to turn joyful militancy into a prescription for a way of being or of being radical. It's situational, individual, and responsive - a practice, not a formula. That's as it should be, though it does leave one wondering how to begin. The only place to begin seems to be within ourselves.
isachu's review
4.0
There is so much to glean from this tiny little volume on what how to sustain a movement and how to make resistance an act of Joy along with the change. While often repetitive, I think it was important to truly seal in some of the ideas that bergman and Montgomery impress upon the readers. This book, however, is not a beginner book for someone still trying to explore different radical resistance movements but rather a pick-me-up and primer of sorts for those already in a movement and trying t find ways to prevent burnout. What I enjoyed about the book is how it reframes resistance and rigidity, positing that in order to make meaningful change, one must divorce oneself from the rigidity of ideology and extant techniques. The language and approach that the authors put forward here is vibrant and joyful -- defining joy as something transformative and different from happiness. They allow for a more expansive approach to opposition that is more inclusive, putting more emphasis on collectiveness and solidarity.
What was most disappointing, perhaps, about the book was how it delved more into hypothetical situations rather than explore the different ways that different groups and movements are expressing and exploring solidarity and resistance against Empire. I understand at the crux of the book is fluidity of the approach and how rather than be prescriptive, one must embrace a kind of uncertainty and adapt their methodology to specific situations. However, I think that the book would have greater weight should it have shown how their suggestions would work in practice.
All in all, I feel like the book is wonderful and instructive in that it invites a new approach to radicalism that refuses how a lot of Leftist movements are too focused on dogmatic approaches. The book should be read in conjunction with other leftist theory texts, particularly those of color to further understand their struggle and how they have responded to Empire through their own means.
Included in the appendix is an interview with Silvia Federici which is also excellent.
What was most disappointing, perhaps, about the book was how it delved more into hypothetical situations rather than explore the different ways that different groups and movements are expressing and exploring solidarity and resistance against Empire. I understand at the crux of the book is fluidity of the approach and how rather than be prescriptive, one must embrace a kind of uncertainty and adapt their methodology to specific situations. However, I think that the book would have greater weight should it have shown how their suggestions would work in practice.
All in all, I feel like the book is wonderful and instructive in that it invites a new approach to radicalism that refuses how a lot of Leftist movements are too focused on dogmatic approaches. The book should be read in conjunction with other leftist theory texts, particularly those of color to further understand their struggle and how they have responded to Empire through their own means.
Included in the appendix is an interview with Silvia Federici which is also excellent.
jamieruwen's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
This is a really great book! If you've ever felt your movement was suffering from activist burnout or relentless criticism or just negative exhaustion, you should read it. If Joyful Militancy is about enabling a way of movement building that makes people feel like activism is opening up new and exciting ways of living for them. Something that frustrated me in the beginning was the lack of specific examples (of either rigid radicalism or joyful militancy), but it became clear to me later that the authors refrain from naming these for a very good reason. bergman and Montgomery want to refrain from building a new set of rules, and in fact that idea is very central to their idea of joyful militancy. I think their writing is very accessible and understandable. Their inclusion of interviews is really helpful and really shows that they are engaging with things that are already happening.
zhollows's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Though not a “handbook” or “prescription,” this book has really changed my way of thinking about organizing and how I approach people and community. The incredible knowledge bank the authors draw from explains community focused ways forward in curiosity and experimentation. I can’t wait to revisit this book again!
wobreads's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
every radical person should read this book so we can all stop trying to make others feel bad for not reading every single book on political theory ever