Harmonizing Tensions of the Left: From SDS to Complementary Holism Open Access
Novitch, Misty Autumn (2011)
Abstract
Abstract
"Harmonizing Tensions of the Left: From SDS to Complementary
Holism"
By Misty Novitch
The political left can never seem to come together like the
political right. The left expands a wide
range of people, issues, and strategies and therefore tends to
embrace differences, or at least
allows an outlet for them. These differences when thrown together
tend to cause tensions
between activists, groups, and movements since it is difficult to
know how to deal with
difference - it is often seen as a problem and the tensions tend to
cause anxiety. These tensions
often result in progressives trying to hierarchically arrange
different issues and strategies and
thereby splitting up into smaller and smaller groups or trying to
force homogenization, both of
which are antithetical to left values and movement effectiveness.
Studying the history of
Students for Democratic Society (SDS), a central New Left
organization in the 1960s, some
essential tensions can be derived, tensions still very much at play
in the left today. Investigating
the way SDS handled some of these essential tensions can give
insights as to how to handle these
same tensions today. Additionally, the theory of complementary
holism, which is focused on
balancing solidarity and autonomy in movements, provides a
conceptual starting place for
organizing across differences and creating holistic strategies.
Combining the historical evolution
from SDS to complementary holism and applying these lessons to
strategy today, the left can
help facilitate a non-hierarchical, holistic movement of movements
to win a more progressive
world that uplifts all progressive values.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
I.
Introduction…………………………………………………………...1
II.
SDS...………………………………………………………………….…..4
III.
Numerous
Programs…………………………………………….…6
IV.
ERAP vs.
Academia…………………………………………….….11
V.
Precarious
Structures……………………………………………17
VI.
Theory After
Action………………………………………………22
VII.
Complementary Holist
Strategy……………………………..28
VIII.
Conclusion…………………………………………………………….34
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