ABSTRACT
Debates and theories about activism and collective action in working-class studies are parts of several scholarly fields, from literature to critical race and gender theory, history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and economics. Questions about the nature of power—the power to overpower others and the power of human brains and muscles—have been a continuous source of philosophical debate from Enlightenment to the present day. Forms of activism range from subtle actions like slowing the pace of work, online activism, critical work that produces ideas to build constituencies, critiques of academic labor, mass actions like general strikes, and mass movements that realign whole populations. Often the very names of these actions are debated—what some call riots, others call rebellions. Likewise, there are many organizations for collective action: unions, community organizations, political parties, consciousness-raising study groups, spontaneous gatherings. This chapter explores past and present initiatives that have given voice to working-class people’s struggles and their efforts to mobilize movements across geographical borders, periods and generations.
