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A review by clairealex
The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution by Ryan Grim
4.0
I approached this book thinking there wouldn't be much new to me since I'd been following news closely for the last several years. However, I was wrong. There was some background about organizations and people. There was analysis of inside maneuvering that was fascinating. It also made for a lot of information for a writer to control.
I had expected more focus to be on the Squad itself from the title, but instead it seemed a survey of the key progressives beyond the squad as well. And of moments of that opposition--and sometimes assistance. Sometimes I lost track of the focus in the detail about opponents. But then a transition would bring me back. Another important detail: it wasn't a hagiography of AOC; she was presented with strengths and weaknesses. The analysis of moving from outside activist to inside actor was important and helpful.
Chapter 14, pointing out issues with a white-supremacy analysis made me ponder. I could see that using Tema Okun's analysis as a weapon was problematic; however, I don't think that is the whole of the anti-racist movement. Perhaps Grim doesn't either. His analysis of the shift from systemic to individualistic solutions is good, but I have seen systemic analysis in anti-racist literature too. I am not sure that one can't deal with both class analysis and identity/privilege analysis. I can agree, though, that the misuse of supremacy analysis is problematic. It is something that deserves more thought. The place it held in the book was to provide a frame for the analysis of the breaking up of groups, seemingly a stage in group formation when obstacles are thrown in the way.
I had expected more focus to be on the Squad itself from the title, but instead it seemed a survey of the key progressives beyond the squad as well. And of moments of that opposition--and sometimes assistance. Sometimes I lost track of the focus in the detail about opponents. But then a transition would bring me back. Another important detail: it wasn't a hagiography of AOC; she was presented with strengths and weaknesses. The analysis of moving from outside activist to inside actor was important and helpful.
Chapter 14, pointing out issues with a white-supremacy analysis made me ponder. I could see that using Tema Okun's analysis as a weapon was problematic; however, I don't think that is the whole of the anti-racist movement. Perhaps Grim doesn't either. His analysis of the shift from systemic to individualistic solutions is good, but I have seen systemic analysis in anti-racist literature too. I am not sure that one can't deal with both class analysis and identity/privilege analysis. I can agree, though, that the misuse of supremacy analysis is problematic. It is something that deserves more thought. The place it held in the book was to provide a frame for the analysis of the breaking up of groups, seemingly a stage in group formation when obstacles are thrown in the way.