Description
Book SynopsisRadicalism is an inclusive political tradition that lives on in the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL). Key radical principles include empowering people to advocate for themselves and their communities, the idea that power must embrace accountability, and a transformative interpretation of justice and change. Everyone is not a radical any more than everyone supports the M4BL. And yet, some people claim to support the M4BL while rejecting radical movement principles and often practicing deeply anti-radical politics. In Invisible Weapons, Marcus Board Jr. wrestles with these contradictions and reveals the key political stumbling blocks posed by government powerbrokers--from elected officials to welfare-bureaucrats--in the face of radical political movements. Board shows how neoliberalism is synonymous with anti-radicalism and uses invisible weapons that stop oppressed people from advocating for their own needs and grievances.Board argues that the insidious power of co-optation is transformi
Trade ReviewIn a careful examination of Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray and the confrontation and killing of Korryn Gaines, Board highlights the limits of protest, which are often overlooked when scholars assess the impact of modern resistance movements. This is a challenging work about a key aspect of modern African American politics. * K. Anderson, CHOICE *
Invisible Weapons is a creative and compelling tour de force. Marcus Board asks bold and vital questions about radicalism, resistance, and social movements in the face of enduring racial and gender oppression—and he offers morally grounded, empirically informed answers that will change the way his readers think about the political world. * Jamila Michener, Associate Professor of Government and Public Policy, Cornell University *
In Invisible Weapons, Marcus Board offers a powerful in-depth study of the Black freedom struggle in Baltimore and the ways in which Black movements are undermined and deradicalized through often subtle and covert means. Using a Black feminist lens, and invoking the great freedom fighter Harriet Tubman in his analysis, Board writes squarely within the Black Radical tradition. A rigorous and brutally honest book, and a must-read. * Barbara Ransby, MacArthur Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of History, Gender and Women's Studies, and Black Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago *
As we forge a path towards liberation, we continue to build bridges between academic discourse and local community organization. Invisible Weapons is making these connections, as Board uncovers those tactics that suppress movement, leadership, and, ultimately, collaboration. In this masterful work, Board gives a framework for recognizing these obstacles to our freedom and moves us closer to finding the path forward. * Dixon Romeo, Campaigns Director, United Working Families, and Organizer with the Obama CBA Coalition and Not Me We *
