If you've heard of "meme" then you can thank (or blame) the writers of this very important book!

Reach And Teach says:

Imagine walking into an advanced-level train-the-trainer workshop, geared towards helping organizations make huge changes in our world, and discovering that throughout the training you're going to have to "buddy up" with one other participant, spend significant time with that person, and take huge personal and professional risks in the process... That's what trainers like George Lakey require when you learn from them and wasn't I lucky (Craig Wiesner speaking here) when Patrick Reinsborough became my buddy! Patrick is one of the co-founders of SmartMeme, an organization that has revolutionized the revolution by using story-based strategy to win campaigns, build movements, and change the world. I also lucked out and got to spend lots of time with Doyle Canning, the co-author of this incredible book I hope you will order, read, and use this book to help you and your organization change the world.

This book will be as important to today's organizers as Theater of the Oppressed and Games for Actors and Non-Actors have been for generations of activists/organizers. Buy this book.

About the Book:

Re:Imagining Change provides resources, theory, hands-on tools and illuminating case studies for the next generation of innovative change makers. This unique book explores how culture, media, memes, and narrative intertwine with social change strategies, and offers practical methods to amplify progressive causes in the popular culture.

Re:Imagining Change is an inspirational inside look at the trailblazing methodology developed by the non-profit strategy and training organization, smartMeme. Founded in 2002, smartMeme offers tools, training, and strategy support to organizations and movements working for justice, ecological sanity and transformative social change. Re:Imagining Change is a summary of their approach, and a call to innovate our strategies for collectively addressing the escalating social and ecological crisis of the 21st century.

About the Authors:

Patrick Reinsborough co-founded the smartMeme strategy and training project as a vehicle to explore the intersections of social change strategy, imagination and narrative. He lives in San Francisco.

Doyle Canning is a strategist, trainer, and organizer with a commitment to building holistic movements for racial justice and an ecological future. She lives in Boston.

Reviews:

“Yo Organizers! Stop what you are doing for a couple hours and soak up this book! We know the importance of smart 'issue framing.' But Re:Imagining Change will move our organizing further as we connect to the powerful narrative stories and memes of our culture.” -- Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy Studies, author of The Economic Meltdown Funnies

“Brilliant and invaluable... Canning and Reinsborough take framing to a far more powerful level and provide practical tools essential to the success of every progressive organization that seeks to bring forth a world of peace and justice. It gets my highest recommendation.” --David Korten, board chair, YES! magazine and author of The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community

“Re:Imagining Change is worthy of praise. As an introduction to story-based strategy, the book offers organizers and advocates a new and necessary way to understand and transform the impact of stories on our public life.” --Malkia Cyril, Director Center for Media Justice

“Re:Imagining Change is such an incredible resource! This is a book to consume, to go over meticulously, mark up, share with friends, and keep within arm's reach on the shelf. The format is so accessible, the analysis and case studies show how important their groundbreaking story-based strategy is for all of the work we're doing. Ruckus wants every group we work with to grab this book!” --Adrienne Maree Brown, Executive Director, The Ruckus Society

Product Details:

Authors: Patrick Reinsborough and Doyle Canning
Publisher: PM Press
ISBN: 978-1-60486-197-6
Release Date: April 2010
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 144
Dimensions: 8.5 by 5.5
Subjects: Politics, Activism, Media