University Instructors

Why Teach This Book?

A New New Deal is the first text of its kind to offer a contemporary history of place-based community organizing and the revitalization of Central Labor Councils. Municipalities and states – not the federal government – are highlighted as case studies in the text as the most effective laboratories for innovation in public policy.

Labor movement insiders Amy B. Dean and David B. Reynolds analyze a new generation of “deep coalitions” in regions as diverse as Los Angeles, Boston, Denver, San Jose and Atlanta, developing a model for place-based organizing. The authors hope to spark a fascinating discussion on how the contemporary labor movement can move beyond specialized and short-term interests to serve as a broader force for social justice. For more information, click here to download a list of frequently asked questions about A New New Deal.

Chapter Overview

“A New New Deal sets the standard for a new kind of practitioner reflection as well as a new kind of politics.”

- Manual Pastor, PhD, UCLA, Author

“A crucial issue facing the labor movement and community-based organizations is how to ensure that regional political and economic institutions function on behalf of working families. This task involves building real political power and learning how to govern those very institutions. Amy Dean and David Reynolds provide an invaluable service by documenting the regional power-building efforts that have occurred around the country and suggesting steps to bring this work to scale on a national level. I highly recommend this book to all labor and community leaders who want to forge a more just country.”

- Steven C. Pitts, Ph.D., Labor Policy Specialist, UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education