Community organizing: Studying the development and exercise of grassroots power

Abstract

There is now wide recognition that grassroots community organizing is a uniquely necessary approach for contending with the persistent and escalating socioeconomic inequities that manifest as disparities across many societal domains, including housing, safety, education, and mental and physical health. The articles in this special issue report findings from studies designed to increase understanding of community organizing processes and produce actionable knowledge that can enhance these and other similar efforts to create more equitable and just cities and regions. These studies examine a variety of community organizing campaigns, initiatives, and networks in North America, as well as one in Bulgaria, and one in South Africa. These groups are building social power and demanding economic, racial, educational, and environmental justice. In this introductory article, we highlight some of the themes that emerge from this set of studies and make recommendations for future roles that research can play in advancing collective understanding and the practical objectives of grassroots organizing initiatives.

A model of collaborative immigration advocacy to prevent policy-based trauma and harm.

“…Building on the intention to facilitate the project in a liberatory and democratic manner that centered the voices and lived experiences of immigrant communities, the IIP was facilitated to respond to local experiences at the regional level, as well as to look for commonalities across regions. This practice is in line with recent research suggesting that location specific community organizing is a helpful tool for building grassroots power (Christens et al, 2021), and that this is particularly helpful for building coalitions in immigrant communities to help meet community needs, bridge resources, and create spaces for social change (Lardier et al, 2022). For our project, five regional teams were created to address efforts of activist and community leaders in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West of the United States.…”

Disrupting White racial dominance: How White antiracists challenge the racial status quo in interpersonal relationships

“…Our work also aligns with and bolsters previous research on the exercise of power in social change efforts. The rich history of research in this area has primarily focused on the ways community‐based organizations build and exert collective power toward the goal of community transformation (e.g., Christens & Speer, 2015; Christens et al, 2008, 2021; Speer & Christens, 2012; Speer & Hughey, 1995; Speer, 2008; Speer et al, 2003; Speer, Hughey, Gensheimer, et al, 1995). By focusing at the microlevel, we extend this research by illustrating how power is exercised interpersonally for the purposes of social change.…”

Making the case for youth participatory action research opportunities to enhance social developmental scholarship

“…Similarly, Community Futures, Community Lore through the University of California, Davis offers online videos, lesson plans, step-by-step curriculum, and illustrative examples for engaging in YPAR. Multiple comprehensive texts also have been written on the subject matter (see Cammarota & Fine, 2008;Mirra et al, 2015). Furthermore, there are professional organizations (the Life Course Intervention Network), and training programs (The Public Science Project: Critical PAR Summer Institute) which offer informational resources, support networks, and opportunities to develop and practice skills in YPAR implementation.…”

“…Youth often are excluded from making decisions that have direct implications for their development. The value of youth as capable agents of change is gaining standing in response to the evolving perspectives of youth's status in society today (Christens et al., 2021). Such perspectives reflect the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which states: “ that youth should be informed, involved, and consulted about all decisions that affect their lives .” (United Nations General Assembly, 1995).…”