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The Panthers Can't Save Us Now

Debating Left Politics and Black Lives Matter
Series: Jacobin
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( 88 ratings, 12 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Panthers Can't Save Us Now by Cedric G. Johnson examines the limitations of romanticising the Black Panther Party as a solution for contemporary political struggles. It argues for the necessity of nuanced strategies that address modern socio-economic challenges beyond simplistic revolutionary nostalgia. Through this analysis, the book encourages readers to think critically about present-day activism and effective pathways for social change.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this insightful book if you're interested in contemporary politics and the complexities of racial and social justice movements. The author challenges prevailing narratives and critically examines the legacy of past struggles, questioning their applicability to today's socio-political landscape.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Ending the horrors of police violence requires addressing economic inequality.

Ending the horrors of police violence requires addressing economic inequality.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In the wake of the mass protests over the police murder of George Floyd, nearly every major consumer brand proclaimed their commitments to antiracism, often with new ad campaigns to match their Tweets. Despite the historic scale of protests and ruling class approval, the most substantive reforms advanced by Black Lives Matter remained out of reach. Still less was achieved around policies that might help the most dispossessed and precarious Americans.

Why has anti-racism been such a powerful source of mobilization but such a poor means of building political opposition capable of winning big reforms?

The Panthers Can't Save Us Now by Cedric G. Johnson writes against the grain of popular left sentiments and cautions against the revival of ethnic politics. Instead, he calls for broad-based left politics as the only viable means for ending the twin crises of racial inequality and police violence. Redistribution, public goods, and multi-ethnic working-class solidarity are the only viable response to the horrors of police violence and mass incarceration.

It just so happens that fighting the conditions that make crime and violence inevitable is also the means by which we can build a working-class majority and a more equal and peaceful nation.

Series: Jacobin

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781839766305

Publisher: Verso Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 February 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Verso Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 14.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 180g

Pages: 208

About the Author

Cedric Johnson is Associate Professor of African American Studies and Political Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His book, Revolutionaries to Race Leaders was named the 2008 W.E.B. DuBois Outstanding Book of the Year by the National Conference of Black Political Scientists. His 2017 Catalyst essay, β€œThe Panthers Can’t Save Us Now” was awarded the 2018 Daniel Singer Millenium Prize. In 2008, Johnson was named the Jon Garlock Labor Educator of the Year by the Rochester Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. He previously served on the representative assembly for UIC United Faculty Local 6456.

Also by Cedric G. Johnson

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  • After Black Lives Matter
    The historic uprising in the wake of the murder of George Floyd transformed the way Americans and the world think about race and policing. Why did it achieve so little in the way of substantive reforms? After Black Lives Matter argues that the failure to leave an institutional residue was not simply due to the mercurial and reactive character of...
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