Building Alternatives Beyond the State: Grassroots tactics for social change in the face of repressive governments

In an era when many scholars and activists are questioning both the impartiality of electoral processes and the efficacy of symbolic protests, advocates are considering – and deploying – other tactics for social change. In this session Sasha Davis will draw upon his over twenty years of research on social movements and political change in colonial contexts which is featured in his new book Replace the State: How to Change the World When Elections and Protests Fail (available from the University of Minnesota Press). The session will also be an opportunity for folks to share perspectives on activist tactics and to evaluate the efficacy of different strategies for creating meaningful political change.

Sasha Davis is an activist, researcher, educator, and author. He is also a co-founder of Cooperative Action Monadnock and lives in New Hampshire.