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A review by isachu
Joyful Militancy: Building Thriving Resistance in Toxic Times by carla bergman, Nick Montgomery
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.