Coming Together for Action: The Challenge of Contemporary Grassroots Community Organizing

The question of what role remains for grassroots community organizing in the postindustrial, global‐information society is up for timely review. Can local organizing restore communities in need? Can such activity prevent global technologies and economies from destroying the foundations and the habitats of all living communities? We first identify what is distinct about grassroots community action. This discussion is built around three concepts: social action, locality development, and empowerment. The postindustrial milieu has exacerbated the need for grassroots activity, but has created new impediments to such activity. The global emergence of grassroots organizing is noted and three problematic issues—the role of the outside expert, the use of specialized information, and connections to coalitions and larger social movements—are discussed. Finally, we look at the place of local organizing in current social movements.