Self-Determination for Who?

John Arena — 2023-11-17T06:00:00Z

Newark mayor Cory Booker garnered national accolades, and tens of millions in foundation funding, to advance his neoliberal reform agenda for the city's public schools. Locally, though, he was met by a wave of popular opposition to his privatization drive and thus decided on an exit to the US Senate. His successor, Ras Baraka, rode that opposition to the city hall, though the demands of this movement also conflicted with his economic development agenda. John Arena looks at how Black

- Essays / Newark, Black Power, New Jersey, mayors, neoliberalism, self-determination, Black politics

Teacher Unionism and the Bargain for the Common Good

Claire Cahen — 2021-07-06T05:00:00Z

Rank-and-file teachers across the United States challenge their unions to embrace social democratic ideals, and fight for equal access to social goods, such as quality public schools and safe tap water. Drawing on the case of Newark, New Jersey, this essay questions the liberal democratic norms and policies that continue to treat teacher unions as narrow economic organizations.
A decade ago, teacher unions were minor political players in US cities, focused primarily on negotiating educator

- Essays / Newark, New Jersey, United States, trade unions, activism, teaching, education, public education, water, common good

Metropolitics

Self-Determination for Who?

Teacher Unionism and the Bargain for the Common Good