Becoming an Ally, 2nd Edition

Breaking the Cycle of Oppression in People

This new edition is expanded to encompass the last seven years of work, experiences and insight, this book looks specifically at addressing oppression in people. By narrowing the focus, Anne Bishop again raises a number of questions concerning where oppression comes from. Has it always been with us as a part of “human nature”? What can we do to change it? What does individual healing have to do with the struggles for social justice? What does social justice have to do with individual healing? Why do members of oppressed groups fight each other, sometimes more viciously than their oppressor? Why do some who experience oppression develop a life-long commitment to fighting oppression, while others turn around and oppress others?

This edition has been replaced by Becoming an Ally, 3rd Edition

About the book

What people are saying

Heather Haas Barclay, Ontario Association of Social Workers Western Branch Newsletter, Sept. 2001
Praise for the first Edition: “After my second reading of Becoming An Ally, I see many more reprints of the well-argued, well-researched, nonpolemical but gentle and helpful book. Absorbing the topic is made that much easier by the comfortable and yet authoritative tone Ms. Bishop uses. The book makes a good friend. It listens and teaches, and it urges courage and trust.”

Author

Anne Bishop

Anne Bishop has been working toward social justice through adult education and community organizing for more than 50 years. Her activism aligned with making an income for three years as coordinator of development education for Canadian University Services Overseas and for a decade developing community leadership education through a university continuing education department. The rest of the time, she earned her living through freelance writing, editing, teaching, facilitation, research, union organizing, farm labour, restaurant hostessing, managing a used clothing store, supporting worker cooperatives, working on the line in a fishplant and an industrial sewing shop and, for twenty-five years, raising sheep, chickens, fruit, berries and veggies. She has a passion for spinning and knitting wool.

Anne has co-authored four books on popular education and one on the Canadian food system and is the author of two books about allies, Becoming an Ally: Breaking the Cycle of Oppression in People (1994, 2002, 2015) and Beyond Token Change: Breaking the Cycle of Oppression in Institutions (2005). In 2019, she published her first novel, Under the Bridge.