Ep. 348: The Future of Organising with Greta Carnes and Josh Cook | Australia’s Labor Podcast

How did the well-oiled machine that built the historic Obama campaign in 2008 fail so catastrophically in 2024?

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This week on Socially Democratic, Stephen speaks with Josh Cook and Greta Carnes about their report ‘The Future of Democratic Organizing’.

Greta is a political campaigner and researcher, while Josh is an expert in digital strategy and engagement. Both are U.S.-based ‘Obama for America’ alums with over a decade of experience in national campaigns.

We ask:

🤝 What is “relational organising” and why is it so critical now?

📐 How do we measure impact in a way that truly aligns with strategy, and what’s the harm in being too metrics-focused?

🦖 How did the Democrats unwittingly work against innovation in their campaigns?

🤖 How does digital organising interact with traditional field work and why do some campaign leaders still resist it?

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This is a vital and fascinating conversation for both organisers and anyone who relies on the impact of organising. Tune in to hear more.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

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