#What I’m reading, writing, listening to 06.20.21

##Reading

Lots of reading this week related to an article I’m working on about theories of change in activist education research. I’ve revisited many of Eve Tuck’s articles that cross Indigenous thought, theories of change, and participatory action methodologies. A Third University is Possible by la paperson also showed up in the mail right on time, and the decolonizing frames make for good conversation with Tuck’s work. Any time I’m thinking about theories of change, I’m thinking about Grace Lee Boggs again, so I’ve gone down a short path of writings about her work too. Of note is the essay “Living by the Clock of the World” by Matt Birkhold, which provides a lucid clarification of Boggs’ idea of visionary organizing, and the critical reply “In Defense of Struggle,” by Aaron Petkov.

##Writing

I’m almost to the point of First Shitty Draft for an essay I’m writing on theories of change in activist education research. Writing this piece has me thinking about the various activist traditions from which scholars may think about themselves as scholar-activists. It’s also got me thinking about the different kinds of formations – many of which are not legible to institutional heuristics – that these activities form. The risk in this piece is inadvertently drawing lines in the sand about who is and isn’t a scholar activist. That risk has me thinking about lines and what they do. So the intro has this small part on lines. I’m not sure if it will make it to the final version, but I find myself liking this kind of thinking

I proceed below by drawing lines that connect theories of change through participatory action methodologies. By drawing these lines, I take some risks. Lines can connect dots to renderer a useful sketch, and they can also provide a path to a destination. But lines can also also divide, enclose, and separate.

##Listening

Mixes I’m playing

• DJ Soul Sister’s set from Boiler Room at Ace Hotel New Orleans in 2017. This is a flawless set. Flawless.
• “People Still Make Beats” is back in rotation, a mix of beats and samples I made last year.
• “Spud Roots” mix by Soul Cool Records, for tending to the yard and garden outside.
• “Make a Joyful Sound to Jah” by Anbessa Roots Reggae.

Music by Friends

The Winter Tried To Kill Me: Sad nDn Love Songs by Sacramento Knoxx. (Click to listen.)

New discoveries

Heavy funk covers of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Thriller” by The Traffic, from Australia.

Deep tech house from here in Detroit by producer Nuntheless. Vinyl is available for pre-order now!