The Pragmatism of Social Movements: An Exploration of Black Lives Matter
Thursday, October 27th, 2016
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, October 27, 2016 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM | External Event, School of Public Policy and Governance 14 Queen’s Park Crescent West, Third Floor, Room CG-360 Toronto, ON |
Description
We often think of Social Movements as ideal enterprises; activities undertaken by passionate idealists who eschew the corruption of the status quo for the purity of an imagined better world. While the passion and idealism of social movement participants is certainly real, I argue that if we look at movements through the theoretical lens of American pragmatism, we find that they are an utterly practical, functionally necessary, and immanently effective apart of democratic politics. Taking the contemporary example of the Movement for Black Lives, we will explore the pragmatic imagination, organization, articulation, and political participation of this country’s ascendant 21st century movement.
Deva Woodly is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the New School for Social Research. Her research focuses on the impact of civic discourse on democratic practice, especially from the point of view of ordinary citizens, political advocates, and social movements.
REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT.
If you are attending a Munk School event and require accommodation(s), please email the event contact listed above to make appropriate arrangements.
Disclaimer: Please note that events posted on this website are considered to be public events – unless otherwise stated – and you are choosing to enter a space where your image and/or voice may be captured as part of event proceedings that may be made public as part of a broadcast, webcast, or publication (online and in print). We make every effort to ensure your personal information is kept and used in compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). If you have any questions please get in touch with our office at munkschool@utoronto.ca or 416-946-8900.