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Conventional approaches in American political science focus inquiry on institutions, choice, and decision-making. In contrast, this talk by Dr. Deva Woodly, associate professor of physics at the New School for Social Research, focuses on organizing as a political activity that fosters the capacity for political actors to recognize themselves as political subjects. Organizing is not simply about assembling a mass of people for a political cause (mobilization) or turning up to protest (activism); it is a process that allows people to be transformed in the service of the work. The talk prompts a new way to think about organizing in relation to the work of political subjectivity done in other political institutions.
Deva Woodly holds both a doctorate in political science and a master’s in social science from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s in political and social thought from the University of Virginia. Her scholarship explores democratic politics in the contemporary context, focusing on the role of discourse, the construction of public meaning, and the role of civic and social movements in these processes. Her most recent books include Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements (Oxford 2021) and The Politics of Common Sense: How Social Movements Use Public Discourse to Change Politics and Win Acceptance (Oxford 2015).
This Harrington Public Affairs Lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.