Direct Action

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This book is crucial for understanding the recent history of the left in America, connecting various movements into a coherent narrative. L.A. Kauffman presents this overview with clarity and elegance, making it essential reading for today and tomorrow. As political realities shift, resisters are eager to know what more they can do, and Kauffman's work offers valuable insights. Her assessment of the past fifty years of movements reveals them not as isolated events but as parts of a larger project, tracing the roots of our current radical-action culture back to the early seventies. Kauffman argues that direct action serves as a "laboratory for political experimentation and innovation," and her book acts as a comprehensive lab report. With decades of experience in civil disobedience, she chronicles the evolution of protest tactics that today’s activists often take for granted. By examining our past, Kauffman empowers us to be more effective in our struggles for justice. Her work is particularly relevant in a time when progressive direct action is more necessary than ever, urging readers to organize rather than agonize. Kauffman identifies new political energy in movements like Occupy and Black Lives Matter, suggesting that locally-based activism is vital and resilient against suppression.