Publication: Naming the Moment: Political Analysis for Action: A Manual for Community Groups

• Barndt, Deborah

Divided into five chapters, this manual presents ideas,
experiences and concepts that help groups working for
social change. It introduces and defines the idea of
political analysis for action, or naming the moment. It
likewise reviews the history of the concept and situates
the practice in current social movements and structures in
Canada. It describes in detail the method of naming the
moment and illustrates its four phases (identifying
ourselves and our interests, naming the issues/struggles,
assessing the forces, planning for action) together with
some examples. Furthermore, this manual discusses the two
applications of the method: one focused on local
environmental issues, the other analyzing the free trade
battle. It suggests different ways to integrate the process
of naming the moment process, or political analysis for
action, into the daily life of organizations. Finally, it
emphasizes the importance of linking analyses across issues
and across sectors. 
Contents:  1. An Idea - A Practice 2. History of the
Concept 3. An Approach: Introducing the Four Phases 4. Two
Examples: Putting the Phases Together 5. Practice: Naming
the Moment Everyday Appendix 1: Dictionary of Terms
Appendix 2: A Training Program Appendix 3: Resources