Fearless Change and Social Action in Difficult Times: Exploring Sociological Insights for Social Transformation

Our divided politics, unable to solve the challenges we face concerning society’s hierarchies of injustice, poverty, endless war, and climate change, are now backtracking to even more division. But the reality goes far deeper than the simple politics of left and right. For true change, we need something more profound: a culture shift, a collective change of consciousness. Fearless Change and Social Action in Difficult Times argues that culture shifts don’t just happen, they require a strong focus on social and cultural human connection which neither political nor economic power can provide alone. It is only deep participation and social integrative power which have the capacity to create these necessary cultural and societal transformations. Developing awareness in participatory groups of thought-worlds which remain out-of-sight but give cover to the implicit rules of culture and society is the first step to creating shared awareness of constructs and negative thought-worlds that subconsciously support inequality. Consciously putting aside those that are negative allows for the emergence of new positive realities and social movements. Thus, the real revolution is of the mind. It does take courage, but this is the process by which better futures are created. Offering significant contributions to sociology and social theory, this book promotes an understanding that societal change is rooted in social power and cultural shifts. Inclusive in its presentation, students, professors, NGO professionals, volunteers, activists, and interested observers will find this book of high interest. Cover Half Title Endorsements Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Acknowledgements 1. Introduction Changing Perspectives The Four Ancient Wrongs ‘Why’ and ‘How’ Are the Questions Culture Shifts and Thought-Worlds Creating Fearless Change Departure Points PART I: Investigating the Four Ancient Wrongs 2. Injustice: The Malice of Racism Those of Us Who Think We Are White Racism Up Close Crimes of Being Justice Ignored Branded as ‘Less Than’ 3. Injustice: The Oppression of Gender Masculine Systems Tinkering Around the Edges Hidden Histories Creating Collective Identities Alternative Futures Yearning 4. Injustice: The Invisibility of Class Explorations Forgotten History Race-Talk Heritage The Not-So-Magical Whitening of America Voting and Slumming Bamboozled 5. Endless War Serving American Interests Accountability Resistance Eroding the Peaceable Bias Playing Outlaw The War at Home Sanctification: Guns, War, and Violence 6. Suffering of Poverty Rich-Country Poverty: Facts and Status Consequences Political Undertow and Its Mythologies Debates Behind the Strategies The Devastated and Exploited Rejecting Indifference 7. Planet Plunder A Crisis of Rising Temperatures Carbon Corruption Delay and Denial New Global Frameworks The Inequalities of Inequities Mending Hope and Panic Together PART II: Activating Social Power 8. Why Social Power? Investigation Results Inter-Twining of Inequality Current Social Thought From Demise to Genesis The Power of the Social Questions 9. What We Say Is Not What We Do Excluders, Includers, and Fence-Straddlers The Paradox Syndrome Turn-About Experts Earnestly Fooling Ourselves Self-Induced Confusion Thinking Differently 10. Our Worldview No Longer Fits Reality First Revolutions Divisions of Right and Left Immorality and Compromise Return of the Shock Troops None of Us Understood The Root Cause 11. Solving the Unsolvables Crumbling Justifications Disabling Thought-World Camouflage The Negative in the Positive Enduring Complicities Moving Beyond Politics Reset for Reality PART III: Culture Shift Action 12. Exiting the Circle of Indifference Below the Decibel of Politics Changing World Views Complexity and the Relational Mind Constructing Mutual Genealogies Practicing Equality and Liberty Together There Are Enough of Us 13. Deep Participation Practice Retrieving the Good and the True From Practice to Theory Real World Starting Points Deep Participation’s Six Elements New Game, New Rules Courage in Solidarity 14. Organizing for Culture Shifts Traditional Social Movements Deep Participation Social Movements Find Your Group The Three R’s Umbrella Leverage Culture Shift Resources Index