Consensus Organizing: Building Communities of Mutual Self-Interest

The first new form of community organizing since Saul Alinsky, this book connects the poor to the rest of society. Written in a logical, teachable, and pragmatic style, Consensus Organizing: Building Communities of Mutual Self Interest is a model of social change for the 21st century. Through real examples, author Mike Eichler illustrates how anyone can practice consensus organizing and help the poor, forgotten, and disempowered.

The first new form of community organizing since Saul Alinsky, this book connects the poor to the rest of society. Written in a logical, teachable, and pragmatic style, Consensus Organizing: Building Communities of Mutual Self Interest is a model of social change for the 21st century. Through real examples, author Mike Eichler illustrates how anyone can practice consensus organizing and help the poor, forgotten, and disempowered.

Mike Eichler is a faculty member of the School of Social Work at San Diego State University and the Director of the Consensus Organizing Center. He has over twenty years experience in community organizing and is the creator of the method of consensus organizing. He has worked with unemployed steelworkers, casino owners, welfare recipients, bankers, corporate executives and the homeless bringing them together around common self-interest.                                                                                                                   

He began his organizing career in Pittsburgh where he helped a neighborhood battle the illegal practices of racial steering and blockbusting by joining forces with a for profit real estate firm. When hired by Pittsburgh executives to help address economic problems caused by the closing of the steel mills, he brought the unemployed and the business leaders together to begin revitalization of the region. He was asked by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to expand his work throughout the country and organized new grass roots efforts in such diverse citiesas West Palm Beach Florida, New Orleans Louisiana, Las Vegas Nevada, and Houston Texas. He started his own national non profit, the Consensus Organizing Institute which trained organizers in the consensus organizing method.                                                                                                                

In 1999 he joined academia where he said he "would never be heard from again.." He has been recognized for his contributions by receiving the Mon Valley Initiative's coveted John Heinz Award and has been selected by San Diego State students as Professor of the Year in 2001, 2004 and 2005.