A Conversation with Steve Burghardt

Organizing in the New Gilded Age: Harsh Truths and Humble Lessons on the Road to Radical Hope

November 12, 2026
7:00 – 8:30pm Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Presented by ACOSA

This is the first book to offer a historical comparison between organizers working under the neoliberalism of Ronald Reagan and today’s organizers laboring under the authoritarianism of Donald Trump. Using themes from his classic The Other Side of Organizing, the author analyzes the “harsh truths” that today’s organizers, students of organizing, and policy analysts must contront: the increased inequities under globalization; the stark decreases in community cohesion; and the long-term strategic strengths of Christian Nationalism. The book outlines the humble lessons of progressives overemphasis on identity and horizontalism that has bred too much infighting over group process rather than external work. Later chapters detail ways that organizers can improve their own tactical flexibility, personal comfort with others’ social differences, and how to express their values so that they “embody the change they seek.” The book ends with an exploration of why radical hope” may be required in the years ahead given the existential threats of climate catastrophe and rising authoritarianism.

Steve Burghardt, M.S.W., Ph.D. is professor emeritus at Silberman School of Social work-Hunter College. Author or co-author of 11 other books, including the national award-winning “The End of Social Work: A Defence of the Social Worker in Times of Transformationi (Cognella, 2020). An eight-time award winning professor of community organizing, political economy and anti-oppression practice for over 50 years, Burghardt began organizing at 17 and has continued social justice work ever since.

SWAA is funded only through memberships. These help us to maintain our website and Zoom accounts and offer honorariums to webinar hosts.