Biography
Benjamin S. Case is the project lead on the Center for Work and Democracy’s Ballot Initiatives Project, where he studies the use of ballot initiatives as tools to redistribute wealth and decision-making power, as well as the mounting attacks in the initiative process from legislators and corporate interests.
Ben is a political sociologist whose broader research focuses on power, conflict, and the ways ordinary people can collectively change society for the better. His recent book, Street Rebellion: Resistance Beyond Violence and Nonviolence (AK Press, 2022), explores the social and political dynamics of rioting, and unpacks the contradictions and gray areas in the discourse of violence and nonviolence in movements. He is also co-author of the book, The Anarchist Turn in Twenty-First Century Leftwing Activism (Cambridge 2024). In addition to scholarly journals like Mobilization and Sociological Forum, his writing frequently appears popular venues like The Conversation, Jacobin, Common Dreams, Convergence, and Inkstick, and you can hear his comments on podcasts like Left Reckoning, It's Going Down, and Green and Red.
Coming to the study of social movements and power from an organizing background, Ben has more than two decades experience in political, community, and labor struggles. In addition to his work at the Center, he is an a fellow with the Resistance Studies Initiative at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.