Chomsky for Activists
Those who regard him as a “doom and gloom” critic will find an unexpected Chomsky in these pages. Here the world-renowned author speaks for the first time in depth about his career in activism, and his views and tactics.
Chomsky offers new and intimate details about his life-long experience as an activist, revealing him as a critic with deep convictions and many surprising insights about movement strategies. The book points to new directions for activists today, including how the crises of the Coronavirus and the economic meltdown are exploding in the critical 2020 US presidential election year. Readers will find hope and new pathways toward a sustainable, democratic world.
Noam Chomsky is one of the most cited scholars in history and among the best known public intellectuals in the world today. He is the author of more than 100 books; the most recent include Requiem for the American Dream, and The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth and Power, Before coming to the University of Arizona as Laureate Professor of Linguistics in 2017, Chomsky taught linguistics and philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for 50 years.
Charles Derber, Professor of Sociology at Boston College is a noted public intellectual and author of twenty-five books, including several best-sellers reviewed in the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and other prominent media. His recent books include Welcome to the Revolution, Moving Beyond Fear, and Glorious Causes. Co-editor of the Routledge book series, Universalizing Resistance, Derber is a life-long activist for peace and justice.
Suren Moodliar is editor of the journal Socialism and Democracy and coordinator of encuentro5, a movement-building space in downtown Boston. He is a co-author of A People's Guide to Greater Boston (UC Press, 2020).
Paul Shannon worked for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) for 40 years where he ran the national film library and was active in various peace, union, prison reform, economic justice and international solidarity movements. Now retired, he serves as a volunteer with the AFSC, teaches courses on the Vietnam war, writes, and continues his intersectional organizing around the Yemen war, the military industrial complex, climate change, criminal justice issues, and regime-change wars. He is a board member of Mass. Peace Action and The Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security.