Towards Liberation: Conflict as a Necessary Practice

In this wide-ranging conversation, Dean Spade, legal scholar, community organizer, author of Mutual Aid and Love in a F*cked Up World, and I unpack how conflict operates in both our personal relationships and political movements. We talk about how systems of oppression shape our responses to harm, accountability, and belonging and why rethinking conflict is essential for meaningful social change. Drawing on Dean’s work in transformative justice and community-based responses to harm, we explore the tension between dignity and belonging, the importance of embracing diverse perspectives, and the ongoing debate between nonviolence and direct action. Ultimately, the episode reframes conflict not as failure, but as a natural and necessary force in building more just and resilient communities.Show Notes:Dean Spade: https://www.deanspade.net/