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A review by books_ergo_sum
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis
reflective
5.0
Ngl, I thought an interview with the subtitle ‘Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundation of a Movement’ was going to be shallow and maybe bad?
But it was excellent! I particularly loved the parts about how:
✨ this broad way of discussing politics isn’t shallow—it’s complex. Political issues are connected because the transnational corporations and geo-political arrangements behind them are connected. And narrowing political discussions doesn’t make them deep—it makes them weak
✨ too formal political activism (focused on abstract human rights, civil rights, or legalese over substantive freedoms) can be complicit in oppression
✨ successful movements aren’t about charismatic leaders, they’re caused by everyday people getting involved in small ways en masse
Before reading this, I also read On Palestine by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé…
[which was unbearably moderate on the topic of Palestinian activism and frustratingly limited by its liberal framework]
… And I don’t think these books are just different—I think this is ✨The Debate✨ within the pro-Palestinian movement and political activism generally. Also, the two books were put together by the same guy, Frank Barat, so it’s extra interesting how different they were.
✨ Angela Davis focused on the power of groups, her message sounds radical even 10 years later, she’s not afraid of Marxist or post-structuralist theories, and her complex “yes, and” approach to politics had major explanatory power.
✨ Noam Chomsky focused on consumer choices and the moral obligation of institutions, he sounded pragmatic 10 years ago but now sounds complicit, he was limited by his liberal framework, and the narrow focus read as naïve.
Plus, I kind of think Angela Davis has been proven right? Pro-Palestinian activism has come a long way—and as I read both books, I asked myself “could we have gotten here from there, if we’d followed their advice?”
And Chomsky gets a “no” (the role he thought the UN would play in protecting Palestinians was particularly 🙄) but I’d argue Davis gets a "yes."
But it was excellent! I particularly loved the parts about how:
✨ this broad way of discussing politics isn’t shallow—it’s complex. Political issues are connected because the transnational corporations and geo-political arrangements behind them are connected. And narrowing political discussions doesn’t make them deep—it makes them weak
✨ too formal political activism (focused on abstract human rights, civil rights, or legalese over substantive freedoms) can be complicit in oppression
✨ successful movements aren’t about charismatic leaders, they’re caused by everyday people getting involved in small ways en masse
Before reading this, I also read On Palestine by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé…
[which was unbearably moderate on the topic of Palestinian activism and frustratingly limited by its liberal framework]
… And I don’t think these books are just different—I think this is ✨The Debate✨ within the pro-Palestinian movement and political activism generally. Also, the two books were put together by the same guy, Frank Barat, so it’s extra interesting how different they were.
✨ Angela Davis focused on the power of groups, her message sounds radical even 10 years later, she’s not afraid of Marxist or post-structuralist theories, and her complex “yes, and” approach to politics had major explanatory power.
✨ Noam Chomsky focused on consumer choices and the moral obligation of institutions, he sounded pragmatic 10 years ago but now sounds complicit, he was limited by his liberal framework, and the narrow focus read as naïve.
Plus, I kind of think Angela Davis has been proven right? Pro-Palestinian activism has come a long way—and as I read both books, I asked myself “could we have gotten here from there, if we’d followed their advice?”
And Chomsky gets a “no” (the role he thought the UN would play in protecting Palestinians was particularly 🙄) but I’d argue Davis gets a "yes."