organizing the gateway city
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ORGANIZING THE GATEWAY CITY How do campaigns for economic & social justice organize the fragmented St. Louis metropolitan area? Scott Humphrey | 2014 PROBLEM Fragmentation impedes collaboration & limits solidarity • Political constituencies are splintered by ward based factionalism, metro area sprawls across 87 municipalities; • Ongoing racial division inherits legacy of segregation & racialized poverty; • Antagonistic state legislature puts progressive groups on defensive. “Prejudice is literally baked into the city’s brown bricks.” -- Catholic Services Director APPROACH Case study interview model shows how organizations work through networks • Objective was to determine how organizers working for economic & social justice identified priorities and worked within & outside existing institutions; • Historical analysis of political, economic & social issues placed contemporary struggles in context; • Accounts of progressive groups working through congregations were tested with interviews of faith leaders & laity. FINDINGS Congregation-based community organizing builds power across fractured space • Secular and progressive groups rely on relationships with faith leaders and congregation organizers to reach “pre-organized” St. Louisians; • Priorities for campaigns are set in concert with more conservative suburban church-goers and the local Catholic leadership; • Building power across the urban and suburban metro area, campaigns attempt to jump scale. CAMPAIGN CASE STUDY FAST FOOD WORKER ORGANIZING CAMPAIGN CASE STUDY STATEWIDE BALLOT INITIATIVES
Transcript of organizing the gateway city
organizing the gateway city
how do campaigns for economic & social justice organize the fragmented St. Louis metropolitan area?
Scott humphrey | 2014
ProbLemFragmentation impedes collaboration &
limits solidarity•Politicalconstituenciesaresplinteredbywardbasedfactionalism,metroareasprawlsacross87municipalities;•Ongoingracialdivisioninheritslegacyof segregation&racializedpoverty;•Antagonisticstatelegislatureputsprogressivegroupsondefensive.“Prejudiceisliterallybakedintothecity’sbrownbricks.”--CatholicServicesDirector
aPProachCase study interview model shows how organizations work through networks
•Objectivewastodeterminehoworganizersworkingforeconomic&socialjusticeidentifiedprioritiesandworkedwithin&outsideexistinginstitutions;•Historicalanalysisof political,economic&socialissuesplacedcontemporarystrugglesincontext;•Accountsof progressivegroupsworkingthroughcongregationsweretestedwithinterviewsof faithleaders&laity.
findingSCongregation-based community organizing builds power
across fractured space•Secularandprogressivegroupsrelyonrelationshipswithfaithleadersandcongregationorganizerstoreach“pre-organized”St.Louisians;•Prioritiesforcampaignsaresetinconcertwithmoreconservativesuburbanchurch-goersandthelocalCatholicleadership;•Buildingpoweracrosstheurbanandsuburbanmetroarea,campaignsattempttojumpscale.
camPaign caSe Study faSt food worker organizing
camPaign caSe StudyStatewide baLLot initiativeS
