How to Read a Protest: The Art of Organizing and Resistance
A grassroots organizer and journalist examines the mechanics of major American demonstrations from 1963 to present, using protest signs as clues to how movements are organized and what makes them effective. Essential for understanding the logistics behind mass mobilization.
Key Takeaways
- Detailed analysis of protest mechanics from 1963 to present
- Uses protest signs as forensic evidence of organizing structure
- Covers logistics of mass mobilization and movement coordination
- Historical case studies of effective vs ineffective demonstrations
- Written by a grassroots organizer with decades of field experience
Most books about protest focus on ideology. Kauffman focuses on logistics — how demonstrations are actually put together, who makes them work, and what separates a march that changes policy from one that changes nothing. If you attend protests, this teaches you how to read what's happening around you.
L.A. Kauffman is a grassroots organizer and journalist who has participated in and covered American protest movements for over three decades. Her work focuses on the practical mechanics of mass mobilization rather than abstract political theory.
Companion organizing texts:
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