Transformative Studies Institute
Encyclopedia
The Transformative Studies Institute (TSI) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational think tank
based in the United States. It “was created to provide an inclusive educational space for research and practice for social justice by academics, community organizers, activists, and political leaders”. TSI is managed and operated by fully volunteer academics, activists, and the concerned public. It has been noted by Korgen, Kathleen et al. in Sociologists in Action (2010) as a model for engaging college students with public sociology and increased civic engagement.
and Dr. Ali Zaidi, two scholar-activists, who wanted to create an academic environment free of the corporate university
’s restrictions, reprisals, and attacks against progressive academics and scholarship. They were inspired by their own political firings from the Bronx campus of the City University of New York which brought the two together in 2006. Dr. Asimakopoulos describes the birth of TSI: Once I gathered myself I decided to fight back in a meaningful way. As I explained to my poor parents, the problem was not this or some other employer, but the system itself, which permitted and encouraged these unethical preindustrial labor practices to occur. Academe was the guilty one, not CUNY, which was a specific instance of a general institution flawed to its core. Dr. Asimakopoulos took his case to arbitration winning a rare victory in 2008. He subsequently obtained tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Sociology with CUNY-Bronx. Dr. Ali Zaidi due to lack of funds for a private attorney and pressured by his own union accepted a settlement and moved on to the State University of New York-Canton. Both continue to operate TSI together with an international team of scholar-activists.
to improve society and obtain social justice. It is an anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian
educational institution that counter-balances conservative pro-capitalist think tanks and policy institutes that enjoy generous funding from corporations and wealthy individuals and has been criticized on the conservative website of David Horowitz, author of The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America.. TSI is opposed to the privatization of public resources and social services. Instead, it seeks to promote social justice through direct democracy
in both politics and the economy. TSI believes that this is achievable primarily through societal education, based on critical pedagogy, than through revolutionary direct action
alone. To this end the long-term goal of TSI is to establish a tuition-free accredited graduate school. The institute also publishes independent peer-reviewed journals including Theory in Action
, operates a speakers’ bureau, the independent TSI Press, a fellowship program, various community outreach projects, and provides consulting services and custom policy papers. TSI also launched Transformative Radio in 2010 which includes interviews of significant figures from the progressive Left
TSI scholars come from a wide variety of disciplines and fields including anthropology
, art
, critical race theory
, disability studies
, economics
, environmental studies
, feminist theory
, film studies
, geography
, history
, journalism
, media studies
, peace and conflict studies
, philosophy
, political science
, queer theory
, religious studies
, social work
, and sociology
.
, Project Censored
, and the Association for Humanist Sociology.
As an educational and activist organization TSI is committed to the social and ecological transformation of society through a global movement for total liberation and freedom based on the following principles of social justice:
and PM Press
two of the most respected progressive publishing houses. In June 2010 TSI also launched a new video e-journal titled Crushing Capitalism with Dr. Asimakopoulos. The journal “analyzes current events and scholarly topics such as imperialism, censorship, propaganda, political corruption, and corporate power.” In 2011 the anti-capitalist nature of the journal attracted critical attention by conservatives.
TSI is currently in the process of developing an accredited graduate school. The graduate school will offer an interdisciplinary Ph.D. and Master’s degree based on the principle of Transformative Learning and Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy
through which peoples’ perceptions can be changed allowing them to see possibilities of social organization beyond that of capitalism and free markets. The interdisciplinary curriculum will bridge theory with praxis to alleviate social problems.
The positions of TSI’s graduate school include:
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
based in the United States. It “was created to provide an inclusive educational space for research and practice for social justice by academics, community organizers, activists, and political leaders”. TSI is managed and operated by fully volunteer academics, activists, and the concerned public. It has been noted by Korgen, Kathleen et al. in Sociologists in Action (2010) as a model for engaging college students with public sociology and increased civic engagement.
History
The Transformative Studies Institute was established in 2007 by Dr. John AsimakopoulosJohn Asimakopoulos
John Asimakopoulos, born September 10, 1970, is associate professor of sociology at the City University of New York-Bronx. He is also a social justice activist, author, and public intellectual.-Background:...
and Dr. Ali Zaidi, two scholar-activists, who wanted to create an academic environment free of the corporate university
Corporate university
A corporate university is any educational entity that is a strategic tool designed to assist its parent organization in achieving its goals by conducting activities that foster individual and organizational learning and knowledge. Corporate universities are a growing trend in corporations. In...
’s restrictions, reprisals, and attacks against progressive academics and scholarship. They were inspired by their own political firings from the Bronx campus of the City University of New York which brought the two together in 2006. Dr. Asimakopoulos describes the birth of TSI: Once I gathered myself I decided to fight back in a meaningful way. As I explained to my poor parents, the problem was not this or some other employer, but the system itself, which permitted and encouraged these unethical preindustrial labor practices to occur. Academe was the guilty one, not CUNY, which was a specific instance of a general institution flawed to its core. Dr. Asimakopoulos took his case to arbitration winning a rare victory in 2008. He subsequently obtained tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Sociology with CUNY-Bronx. Dr. Ali Zaidi due to lack of funds for a private attorney and pressured by his own union accepted a settlement and moved on to the State University of New York-Canton. Both continue to operate TSI together with an international team of scholar-activists.
Overview
TSI applies the principles of Transformative learningTransformative learning
At the core of Transformative Learning Theory, is the process of "perspective transformation", with three dimensions: psychological , convictional , and behavioral ....
to improve society and obtain social justice. It is an anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian
Anti-authoritarian
Anti-authoritarianism is opposition to authoritarianism, which is defined as a "political doctrine advocating the principle of absolute rule: absolutism, autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, totalitarianism." Anti-authoritarians usually believe in full equality before the law and strong civil...
educational institution that counter-balances conservative pro-capitalist think tanks and policy institutes that enjoy generous funding from corporations and wealthy individuals and has been criticized on the conservative website of David Horowitz, author of The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America.. TSI is opposed to the privatization of public resources and social services. Instead, it seeks to promote social justice through direct democracy
Direct democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
in both politics and the economy. TSI believes that this is achievable primarily through societal education, based on critical pedagogy, than through revolutionary direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
alone. To this end the long-term goal of TSI is to establish a tuition-free accredited graduate school. The institute also publishes independent peer-reviewed journals including Theory in Action
Theory in Action
Theory in Action is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering sociology and political science. It takes an interdisciplinary approach, examining interconnections between theory and action aimed at promoting social justice...
, operates a speakers’ bureau, the independent TSI Press, a fellowship program, various community outreach projects, and provides consulting services and custom policy papers. TSI also launched Transformative Radio in 2010 which includes interviews of significant figures from the progressive Left
TSI scholars come from a wide variety of disciplines and fields including anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, critical race theory
Critical race theory
Critical Race Theory is an academic discipline focused upon the intersection of race, law and power.Although no set of canonical doctrines or methodologies defines CRT, the movement is loosely unified by two common areas of inquiry...
, disability studies
Disability studies
Disability studies is a relatively new interdisciplinary academic field focusing on the roles of people with disabilities in history, literature, social policy, law, architecture, and other disciplines. Although it has many antecedents, disability studies began to flourish toward the end of the...
, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, environmental studies
Environmental studies
Environmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them...
, feminist theory
Feminist theory
Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, or philosophical discourse, it aims to understand the nature of gender inequality...
, film studies
Film studies
Film studies is an academic discipline that deals with various theoretical, historical, and critical approaches to films. It is sometimes subsumed within media studies and is often compared to television studies...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, media studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
, peace and conflict studies
Peace and conflict studies
Peace and conflict studies is a social science field that identifies and analyses violent and nonviolent behaviours as well as the structural mechanisms attending social conflicts with a view towards understanding those processes which lead to a more desirable human condition...
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, queer theory
Queer theory
Queer theory is a field of critical theory that emerged in the early 1990s out of the fields of LGBT studies and feminist studies. Queer theory includes both queer readings of texts and the theorisation of 'queerness' itself...
, religious studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
, social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
.
Approach
The Transformative Studies Institute applies a grassroots organizing approach through social media. In addition, TSI’s approach to social change includes coalition building with academic and activist organizations such as Sociologists Without BordersSociologists Without Borders
Founded in Madrid in 2001, Sociologists without Borders/Sociólogos Sin Fronteras is a Non-Governmental Organization that advances a cosmopolitan sociology and its activities are considered to be Public sociology. The organization has active chapters in Brazil, Chile, Italy, Spain and the U.S., and...
, Project Censored
Project Censored
Project Censored is a non-profit, media criticism and investigative journalism project within the Sonoma State University Foundation. It is managed through the School of Social Sciences at the university....
, and the Association for Humanist Sociology.
As an educational and activist organization TSI is committed to the social and ecological transformation of society through a global movement for total liberation and freedom based on the following principles of social justice:
- The supremacy of community decision making over corporate governance
- Free and equal public education at all levels and the nationalization of all private educational institutions
- No corporate governance/involvement in news media and the creation of an independent public foundation with tax funds to finance free and independent journalism
- All laws providing full and equal treatment to all individuals and groups regardless of any and all characteristics
- Sustainable development and the use of renewable resources for the protection of the environment
- Family planning and a woman’s right to make her own reproductive decisions with the availability of the required services
- Zero tolerance policies for conflicts of interests for government positions at all levels
- Zero political patronage positions at all levels of government
- Zero corporate involvement in the political process at all levels
- Direct Political and Economic Democracy
- Free not for profit universal quality comprehensive health care as a human right
- A minimum living/family wage and job security laws
- Fair TradeFair tradeFair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
with democracies / No trade with authoritarian regimes - Guaranteed universal quality housing free of any taxation
- Direct action to foster meaningful change and social justice
Current activities
TSI has been active in presentation of research, as co-sponsor, and exhibitor at various academic and activist conferences including the Eastern Sociological Society, North American Anarchist Studies Network Conference, and the Institute for Critical Animal Studies . In 2010 TSI participated in a conference unveiling a first of its kind collaborative program with the Anarchist Studies Initiative of the State University of New York Cortland to house TSI’s Sacco and Vanzetti Foundation. In addition, TSI’s Political Media Review (PMR) has been given attention by AK PressAK Press
AK Press is a worker-managed independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical left and anarchist literature. It is collectively owned and operated.-History:...
and PM Press
PM Press
PM Press is an independent publisher that specializes in radical, Marxist and anarchist literature, as well as crime fiction, graphic novels, music CDs, and political documentaries...
two of the most respected progressive publishing houses. In June 2010 TSI also launched a new video e-journal titled Crushing Capitalism with Dr. Asimakopoulos. The journal “analyzes current events and scholarly topics such as imperialism, censorship, propaganda, political corruption, and corporate power.” In 2011 the anti-capitalist nature of the journal attracted critical attention by conservatives.
TSI is currently in the process of developing an accredited graduate school. The graduate school will offer an interdisciplinary Ph.D. and Master’s degree based on the principle of Transformative Learning and Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy
Critical pedagogy
Critical pedagogy is a philosophy of education described by Henry Giroux as an "educational movement, guided by passion and principle, to help students develop consciousness of freedom, recognize authoritarian tendencies, and connect knowledge to power and the ability to take constructive...
through which peoples’ perceptions can be changed allowing them to see possibilities of social organization beyond that of capitalism and free markets. The interdisciplinary curriculum will bridge theory with praxis to alleviate social problems.
The positions of TSI’s graduate school include:
- The pursuit of social justice, human and labor rights, and respect for all species and the environment.
- Tuition-free degrees, as education is essential for a good standard of living, global citizenship, and human rights.
- An accredited, interdisciplinary Master’s and Doctoral Degree in real classrooms with real facilities.
- An egalitarian atmosphere where faculty have equal rank and salary with tenure after six years, based on equally weighted effectiveness in teaching, research, and activism.
- Full-time faculty as the sole instructors, thereby eliminating the exploitative use of graduate students and adjunct instructors.
- Mandating theory-to-practice components stressing community service and global responsibility in all programs and courses.
Related authors
See also
- AnarchismAnarchismAnarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
- Civil libertiesCivil libertiesCivil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
- Critical pedagogyCritical pedagogyCritical pedagogy is a philosophy of education described by Henry Giroux as an "educational movement, guided by passion and principle, to help students develop consciousness of freedom, recognize authoritarian tendencies, and connect knowledge to power and the ability to take constructive...
- DemocracyDemocracyDemocracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
- Economic progressivismEconomic progressivismEconomic progressivism is the name given to the economic views of social democrats and progressives. These views are often rooted in a strong sense of social justice...
- Labor rightsLabor rightsLabor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
- LibertarianismLibertarianismLibertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
- Paulo FreirePaulo FreirePaulo Reglus Neves Freire was a Brazilian educator and influential theorist of critical pedagogy.-Biography:...
- Public sociologyPublic sociologyPublic sociology is an approach to the discipline which seeks to transcend the academy and engage wider audiences. Rather than being defined by a particular method, theory, or set of political values, public sociology may be seen as a style of sociology, a way of writing and a form of intellectual...
- Social changeSocial changeSocial change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It may refer to the notion of social progress or sociocultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means. It may refer to a paradigmatic change in the socio-economic...
- Social JusticeSocial justiceSocial justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
Further reading
- Deric Shannon, Anthony J. Nocella, & John Asimakopoulos (Eds.). 2012. An Economy of Sustainability. Forthcoming. Oakland: AK PressAK PressAK Press is a worker-managed independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical left and anarchist literature. It is collectively owned and operated.-History:...
. - John Asimakopoulos. 2011. Revolt! The Next Great Transformation from Kleptocracy Capitalism to Libertarian SocialismLibertarian socialismLibertarian socialism is a group of political philosophies that promote a non-hierarchical, non-bureaucratic, stateless society without private property in the means of production...
through Counter-Ideology, Societal Education, & Direct ActionDirect actionDirect action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
. New Jersey: Transformative Studies Institute Press. ISBN 978-0983298205 - Kathleen Odell Korgen, Jonathan M. White, and Shelley K. White (Eds.). 2010. Sociologists in Action. Pine Forge Press. ISBN 978-1412982832
- Anthony J. Nocella II, Steven Best, and Peter McLaren (eds.). 2009. Academic Repression: Reflections from the Academic Industrial Complex. Oakland: AK PressAK PressAK Press is a worker-managed independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical left and anarchist literature. It is collectively owned and operated.-History:...
. ISBN 978-1904859987 - Best, Steven and Nocella, Anthony J. 2006. Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth. Oakland: AK PressAK PressAK Press is a worker-managed independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical left and anarchist literature. It is collectively owned and operated.-History:...
. ISBN 1-904859-56-9