Readings and Resources

The AMOS Institute of Public Life is part of an organizing tradition that goes back to the south side of Chicago in the late 1930’s. A young criminologist by the name of Saul Alinksy, who had been influenced by John L. Lewis and the American labor movement, built a very powerful democratic citizen organization in south Chicago called theBack of the Yards Community Council.

The success of that effort led to the creation of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) a network of organizers and organizations that now has over 60 affiliates across the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany and Australia. AMOS or A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy is the local affiliate in central Iowa. The AMOS Institute of Public Life is a training and education partner organization to AMOS and other non-profits in Iowa. The links below will take you to foundational articles, book chapters and think pieces that illustrate some aspect of our organizing tradition or teach one of our “universals of social change.”