In this revelatory work, Ruha Benjamin calls on us to take
imagination seriously as a site of struggle and a place of
possibility for reshaping the future.
A
world without prisons? Ridiculous. Schools that foster the genius of
every child? Impossible. Work that doesn’t strangle the life out of
people? Naive. A society where everyone has food, shelter, love? In
your dreams. Exactly. Ruha Benjamin, Princeton University professor,
insists that imagination isn’t a luxury. It is a vital resource and
powerful tool for collective liberation.
Imagination:
A Manifesto is her
proclamation that we have the power to use our imaginations to
challenge systems of oppression and to create a world in which
everyone can thrive. But obstacles abound. We have inherited
destructive ideas that trap us inside a dominant imagination.
Consider how racism, sexism, and classism make hierarchies,
exploitation, and violence seem natural and inevitable—but all
emerged from the human imagination.
The
most effective way to disrupt these deadly systems is to do so
collectively. Benjamin highlights the educators, artists, activists,
and many others who are refuting powerful narratives that justify the
status quo, crafting new stories that reflect our interconnection,
and offering creative approaches to seemingly intractable problems.
Imagination:
A Manifesto offers
visionary examples and tactics to push beyond the constraints of what
we think, and are told, is possible. This book is for anyone who is
ready to take to heart Toni Morrison’s instruction: “Dream a
little before you think.”