Reckoning

Deva Woodly’s Reckoning identifies a distinct political theory within the Movement for Black Lives: radical Black feminist pragmatism. Her explication of that philosophy is brilliant, sure to be ground-shifting in democratic theory. Reckoning is methodologically innovative, lyrically written, and politically wise. * Jack Turner, co-editor of African American Political Thought: A Collected History *Dr. Deva R. Woodly’s Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements is a vital contribution to the academic canon of analytical political texts. It serves as both a historical narrative and a case study of a movement. Beyond this, the book is also an exemplary contemporary radical Black feminist text that pays tribute to the many women who have laid the foundation for social justice movements. * Zoë M. Van Gyseghem, Journal of African American Studies *Reckoning guides the reader from BLM’s point of genesis in 2014, through the evolution of #BLM to the creation of a national network…The reader is given a deeper understanding of the depth and complexity of this movement. By the end of this book (two hundred and sixteen pages, two highlighters, and a full pen later), I felt empowered and inspired. Dr. Woodly reminds us of the power and responsibility we have to actively create the democracy we want. The question is, “So what shall we do?” * Zoë M. Van Gyseghem, Journal of African American Studies *This stunning work by Woodly (The New School), author of The Politics of Common Sense, argues for the necessity of community organizing and racial justice to fortify democracy and offers readers a lens through which to comprehend this phenomenon…It is a blueprint for recentering Americans’ understanding of social movements, democracy, and power dynamics on lived experiences, intentions to thrive, restorative justice, and the breaking down of harmful systems that hurt marginalized communities. * Choice *Woodly’s book is a necessary intervention for anyone who might doubt that social movements are prerequisites for democracy. * Erica Chenoweth, The Review of Politics 86 *Reckoning forces us to grapple with key questions about the nature of political change, to consider how we move from the present to the future we hope for. * Juliet Hooker, The Review of Politics 86 *Woodly’s powerful framework helps readers think more broadly about the pragmatic attachments of social movements by offering us hope in the practices of communal joy in struggle. * Andrew Dilts, The Review of Politics 86 *Reckoning offers a path forward in the study and application of Black politics. Woodly demonstrates that real-world politics at the margins offers fresh ideas to push forward stagnant disciplines and provides a model for how scholars can engage with and learn from movement. * Elizabeth Jordie Davies, The Review of Politics 86 *

Deva R. Woodly is Associate Professor of Political Science at The New School and the author of The Politics of Common Sense (Oxford).