Political activism / Political engagement Books

Book SynopsisRecent years have seen a new development in the growth and spread of popular protest: protests that began as local, homogeneous events-such as Occupy Wall Street or the protests of the Arab Spring-quickly left their original locations and local specificity behind and became global. This book looks at the development of this wave of protests, with an eye on protests against austerity and neoliberal economic policies, and offers a global view, covering events in Turkey, Brazil, Venezuela, South Africa, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and other locations.Table of Contents1. Riding the Wave: Protest Cascades, and What We Can Learn from Them Donatella della Porta 2. The Spirit of Gezi: A Relational Approach to Eventful Protest and Its Challenges Donatella della Porta and Kivanc Atak 3. Brazil’s Popular Awakening — June 2013: Accounting for the Onset of a New Cycle of Contention Mariana S. Mendes 4. Making sense of 'La Salida': Challenging Left-Wing Control in Venezuela Juan Masullo 5. The Marikana Massacre and Labour Protest in South Africa Frank O’Connor 6. Left in Translation: The Curious Absence of an Austerity Narrative in the 2013 Bulgarian Protests Julia Rone 7. 'Sow Hunger, Reap Anger': From Neoliberal Privatization to New Collective Identities in Bosnia Herzegovina Chiara Milan 8. A Spirit of Maidan? Contentious Escalation in Ukraine Daniel P. Ritter 9. Riding the Wave: Some Conclusions Donatella della Porta

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Book SynopsisTo what extent is queer anti-identitarian? And how is it experienced by activists at the European level? At queer festivals, activists, artists and participants come together to build new forms of sociability and practice their ideals through anti-binary and inclusive idioms of gender and sexuality. These ideals are moreover channelled through a series of organisational and cultural practices that aim at the emergence of queer as a collective identity. Through the study of festivals in Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Copenhagen, and Oslo, Queer Festivals: Challenging Collective Identities in a Transnational Europe thoughtfully analyses the role of activist practices in the building of collective identities for social movement studies as well as the role of festivals as significant repertoires of collective action and sites of identitarian explorations in contemporary Europe.Trade Review"Among the many merits of this rich study is also its great readability, including to nonspecialists of social movement sociology, queer theory, or gender and sexuality studies. [...] Eleftheriadis’s Queer Festivals provides an innovative perspective on the realities of the oft-evoked yet insufficiently known queer movement, which is too frequently conflated with queer theory—while "queer" increasingly tends to be loosely applied to characterize any LGBT movements and festivals. One of the book’s theoretical ambitions is indeed to clarify the link between queer festivals and queer theory. This goal is successfully reached, as is that of accounting for the interplay between discourses and practices in the formation of a festival’s publics and the performance of its identity work."- Guillaume Marche, Journal of Festive Studies 3 (2021)Table of Contents1. Introduction: Queer Festivals and the Anti-Identity Paradox: Transnational collective identities beyond the state 2. The origins of queer festivals in Europe 3. Organizing the queer space: Squats, Horizontality and Do-It-Yourself 4. What is 'queer' about queer festivals?: Negotiating Identity and Autonomy 5. 'Not yet queer enough': Constructing Identity through culture 6. Queering Transnationalism 7. Anti-identity, Politics and the State: Queer Challenges and Future Directions Appendix References Index

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Book SynopsisIn her detailed retelling of three iconic movements in India, Professor Emerita Krishna Mallick, PhD, gives hope to grassroots activists working toward environmental justice. Each movement deals with a different crisis and affected population: Chipko, famed for tree-hugging women in the Himalayan forest; Narmada, for villagers displaced by a massive dam; and Navdanya, for hundreds of thousands of farmers whose livelihoods were lost to a compact made by the Indian government and neoliberal purveyors of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Relentlessly researched, Environmental Movements of India: Chipko, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Navdanya presents these movements in a framework that explores Hindu Vedic wisdom, as well as Development Ethics, Global Environment Ethics, Feminist Care Ethics, and the Capability Approach. At a moment when the climate threatens populations who live closest to nature – and depend upon its fodder for heat, its water for life, and its seeds for food – Mallick shows how nonviolent action can give poor people an effective voice.Trade Review"Highlighting key environmental movements and persons, including Chipko, Medha Patkar, and Vandana Shiva, Krishna Mallick examines both traditional Hindu ethics and eco-feminism, noting linkages and affinities. Excellent for courses on religions and ecology, as well as Hinduism." . Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles "Krishna Mallick’s book is a welcome addition to a growing list of books on Indian environmental movements inspired by Hindu and Jain traditions and the three case-studies in this book are connected with case-studies of Bishnois, Swadhyayis, and Bhils, and others." . Pankaj Jain, Professor and Head, Indic Studies, FLAME University, Pune, IndiaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Foreword (Frances Moore Lappé) Glossary Introduction: Three Grassroots Movements That Made a Global Impact Principles of Environmental Philosophy (1) Environmental Justice (2) Intergenerational Equality (3) Respect for Nature 1 Historical and Cultural Contexts in India 1.1 ‘Legal’ Destruction of India’s Forests 1.1.1 Acts Spark Peasant Protests 1.2 A Cultural Leader Emerges 1.2.1 Nonviolence and Gandhi’s Truth 1.2.2 How Chipko Followed Hinduism through Gandhi 1.2.3 How NBA Followed Hinduism through Gandhi 1.2.4 How Navdanya Followed Hinduism through Gandhi 1.2.5 Ecology and Social Justice 1.3 Conclusion 2 Chipko (Hug the Trees) Movement 2.1 A Physical Act of Survival 2.1.1 Sacred Texts and Social Justice 2.2 Preconditions and Formation of the Chipko Movement 2.2.1 Workers Organize for Nonviolent Action 2.2.2 Suffering by Means of Fasting and Foot March 2.3 Laudable Leaders 2.3.1 Women’s Role in the Chipko Movement 2.4 Critical Reception of the Chipko Movement 2.4.1 Questions about Chipko’s Popularity and Success 2.5 Conclusion 3 Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA): Save the Narmada 3.1 The Common Good in a Cost-Benefit Analysis 3.1.1 A Recursive History of Dam-Building 3.2 Regional Tensions from the Start 3.2.1 Amid Unrest, NGOs Align to Form NBA 3.2.2 National and Global Ramifications 3.3 Gender and the Narmada Case 3.3.1 Roles for Displaced Women 3.4 Gendered Dimensions of Neoliberal Capitalist Development 3.5 Reasons for the Success of the NBA 3.6 Conclusion 4 Navdanya (Nine Seeds) Movement 4.1 The Terrible Human Toll of GM Crops 4.1.1 Shifting Economics 4.2 Emergence of Anti-GM Movements 4.2.1 KRRS: Fiery Fields of Protest 4.2.2 Gene Campaign: Secure Food and Climate 4.2.3 Navdanya’s Holistic Approach 4.3 Food Sovereignty 4.3.1 Biodiverse Organic Farming 4.4 Biodiversity and Climate Change 4.4.1 Entrepreneurial Renewal 4.5 Navdanya and Social Justice 4.5.1 Civil Disobedience 4.5.2 Human Right to Food 4.5.3 Protecting the Global South 4.6 Shiva’s View of Earth Democracy 4.7 Genetically Modified Crops and the Future 4.8 Conclusion 5 Moral Implications of Environmental Movements 5.1 The Mesmerizing Power of Nonviolence 5.1.1 An Ecological Warrior 5.1.2 Truth at All Costs 5.2 Defining Views of Globalism 5.2.1 Technological Prowess 5.3 Core Values of Development Ethics 5.3.1 Environmental Justice for All 5.4 Ecofeminism: Ethics of Mutual Care and Connection 5.4.1 Ecofeminist Roots in the Chipko Movement 5.4.2 Southern Materialist Ecofeminism 5.5 Conclusion 6 Hindu Ethics and Ecology 6.1 Historical Background of Hinduism 6.2 Comparison of Hindu Dharma and Ethics in the West 6.2.1 The Gita and Dharma 6.2.2 The Ramayana and Dharma 6.2.3 The Yogasutra and Dharma 6.3 Hindu Dharma, Ecology, and Sustainability 6.3.1 Hindu Dharma and Applications in Ecologically Sustainable Development 6.4 Ways Hindus Connect to Nature 6.5 Influence of Symbolic Traditions on Some Environmental Cases 6.6 Is Hinduism Eco-Friendly? 6.7 Influence of Hinduism and Other Literature on Gandhi 6.8 Conclusion Conclusion: The Symbiosis of Natural Resources and Local Needs Theoretical Views of the Global South Global Environmental Theory Feminist Care Ethics The Capabilities Approach Ethics of Nonviolence Index

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together a roster of prominent contributors to present a strategic interactionist perspective on the study of contentious politics in the Middle East in response to the Arab uprisings. The common thread among the contributions is an interest in the micro-level interactions between various strategic players, including not only the mobilisation of protestors during the uprisings but also the responses of regimes. The book also examines short to medium-term adaptations of the regimes and the collective action of opponents in the post-uprisings period, as well as the subsequent trajectories of the protesters themselves in the face of new forms of authoritarianism or democratisation.Trade Review"Each essay moves analysis beyond abstract political structures into personal factors, like emotional reactions and confusion, which affect how states and protesters engage with each other ... [the book] offers insightful analysis ... emphasizing how individual players operated in complex environments to spark social change." - Haley Clasen, Middle East Journal Summer 2018 issue (Vol 72, No 3)Table of ContentsPreface by Frédéric Volpi and James M. Jasper Introduction: Rethinking Mobilization after the Arab Uprisings. James M. Jasper and Frédéric Volpi 1: The Social Life of Contentious Ideas: Piracy and Unruly, Trans-Local Appropriation in the Arab Uprisings and Beyond. John Chalcraft 2: Routines and Ruptures in Anti-Israeli Protests in Jordan. Jillian Schwedler 3: Shaping Contention as a Salafi Movement: The Rise and Fall of Ansar al-Sharia in Post-Revolutionary Tunisia. Frédéric Volpi 4: Contingency and Agency in a Turning Point Event: March 18th, 2011 in Daraa, Syria. Wendy Pearlman 5: It Takes Two (or More) to Tango: the Local Coproduction of the Alexandrian Revolutionary Moment. Youssef El Chazli 6: Violence, Social Actors, and Subjectivation in the Egyptian Revolution. Farhad Khosrokhavar Conclusion: Unruly Protest. Charles Kurzman

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Book SynopsisA plethora of new actors has in recent years entered China’s environmental arena. In Western countries, the linkages and diffusion processes between such actors often drive environmental movements. Through a study of Chinese anti-incineration contention, Chinese Environmental Contention: Linking Up against Waste Incineration investigates how the different contentious actors in China’s green sphere link up, and what this means for environmental contention. It addresses questions such as: What lies behind the notable increase of environmental protests in China? And what are the potentials for the emergence of an environmental movement? The book shows that a complex network of ties has emerged in China’s environmental realm under Hu Jintao. Affected communities across the country have connected with each other and with national-level environmentalists, experts and lawyers. Such networked contention fosters both local campaigns and national-level policy advocacy. Beyond China, the detailed case studies shed light on the dynamics behind the diffusion of contention under restrictive political conditions.Table of ContentsList of Tables and Figures List of Abbreviations Preface CHAPTER 1: An Emerging Network in China's Green Sphere - Towards an Environmental Movement? Introduction Networked Contention: Horizontal and Vertical Linkages and the Diffusion of Contention Methods and Data CHAPTER 2: A Burning Issue - Waste Incineration in China A "Golden Age" of Chinese Waste Incineration: Policies and Economic Incentives Critical Voices: The Chinese "No Burn" Community A Wave of Local Resistance: Local Community Contention against Waste Incinerators CHAPTER 3: Learning between Homeowners - The Urban Case of Beijing Asuwei Setting the Stage: Waste Incineration and "Homeowner" Resistance in Beijing For the Broader Public Good: The Case of Beijing Asuwei Analysis: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Linkages in the Asuwei Campaign CHAPTER 4: Making the Most of External Linkages - The Rural Case of Panguanying Village With a Little Help from their Friends: The Case of Panguanying Village Analysis: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Linkages for the Panguanying Villagers CHAPTER 5: The Limitations of Linkages - The Peri-Urban Case of Beijing's Dagong Village "Resistance is Futile": The Case of Dagong Village Analysis: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Linkages in the Dagong Struggle CHAPTER 6: Conclusion - Networked Contention: No Longer Fragmented, Not Yet a Movement Environmental Actors Linking Up: Implications for Local Anti-Incineration Contention in China Beyond Localized Struggles: Networked Contention and the Prospects of a Broader Movement Beyond Waste Incineration: Linking Up as Broader Trend in Chinese Environmental Contention Beyond China: Networked Contention, Linkages and Diffusion in a Restrictive Political Setting Appendices Appendix I: List of Interviews Appendix II: List of Cited Documents Appendix III: Basic Information on Collected Cases Appendix IV: Brief Description of Sample and Central Background Cases Appendix V: Case Protocol Template References Index

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Book SynopsisMigrant protest has proliferated worldwide in the last two decades, explicitly posing questions of identity, rights, and equality in a globalized world. Nonetheless, such mobilizations are often considered anomalies in social movement studies, and political sociology more broadly, due to "weak interests" and a particularly disadvantageous position of "outsiders" to claim rights connected to citizenship. In an attempt to address this seeming paradox, Migrant Protest: Interactive Dynamics in Precarious Mobilizations explores the interactions and spaces shaping the emergence, trajectory, and fragmentation of migrant protest in unfavorable contexts of marginalization. Such a perspective unveils both the odds of precarious mobilizations and the ways they can be temporarily overcome. While adopting the encompassing terminology of "migrant," this book focuses on precarious migrants, including both asylum seekers and "illegalized" migrants.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Theorizing Precarious Migrant Protest Chapter 2: The Context of Precarious Migrant Protest Chapter 3: Fragile Alliances - The "Bourse du Travail" Protests in Paris Chapter 4: Precarious Resistance - The "La Chapelle" Protests in Paris Chapter 5: Contested Spaces - The "Oranienplatz" Protests in Berlin Chapter 6: Threatened Lives - Afghan Protests Against Deportations in Berlin Conclusion Appendix Index

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Book SynopsisNationalism in a nation-state reflects its emergent structural, cultural, and personal properties at a given time. In the politico-historical context of South Korea and the globe, the fruits of the 1968 Revolution in France could not reach Korean society under its military regime and exploitative economic structure. This continued to frustrate the grassroots and especially social actors in South Korea, which eventually brought about the June Struggle in 1987 and the 2016–2017 Candlelight Revolution. Calculated Nationalism in Contemporary South Korea sketches Korean grassroots’ perception of their nation-state, national identities, and what they desire regarding the future direction of their nation-state. The grassroots have openly spoken out about their frustrations through political rallies and media. This book attempts to reflect the minds of Korean progressives regarding, in particular, the forcibly recruited Japanese military “comfort women,” Abe’s trade provocation against South Korea in 2019, reunification, the 2016–2017 Candlelight Revolution, National Flag-carriers’ struggles, and bullying at work.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements 1. Introduction 2. A Morphogenetic Perspective of Grassroots Nationalism: A Case of South Korea 3. The Movement to Redress the Japanese Military “Comfort Women”: Grassroots’ Concerns and Responses Today 4. “No Abe, Yes Japan” Movement in 2019: Bolstering National Pride and Identity 5. Taking A Free Ride on the Reunification Train: Grassroots’ Cost-benefit Nationalism 6. The 2016–2017 Candlelight Revolution and Grassroots Nationalism: An Analysis of Public Speeches at the Rallies 7. Nostalgic Nationalists in South Korea: The Flag-Carriers’ Struggles 8. Standing against Workplace Bullying (Gapjil): Case Studies 9. Concluding Remarks Epilogue (A Short Biography and Back Cover Blurb) Index

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Book SynopsisGrowing Up Communist in the Netherlands and Britain: Childhood, Political Activism, and Identity Formation documents communists’ attempts, successful and otherwise, to overcome their isolation and to connect with the major social and political movements of the twentieth century. Communist parties in Britain and the Netherlands emerged from the Second World War expecting to play a significant role in post-war society, due to their domestic anti-fascist activities and to the part played by the Soviet Union in defeating fascism. The Cold War shattered these hopes, and isolated communist parties and their members. By analysing the accounts of communist children, Weesjes highlights their struggle to establish communities and define their identities within the specific cultural, social, and political frameworks of their countries.Trade Review“Excellent – well researched, convincing in its argument, and a valuable contribution to communist (and wider social) history.”– Matthew Worley, Professor of Modern History, University of Reading; Co-founder and editor of Twentieth Century Communism “Elke Weesjes has built on the work of the historians of communism who have charted the study of daily communist lives as they were lived, not as simply an expression of Soviet policies. She skillfully compares the British and Dutch communist movements, specifically the experiences of children growing up in “red” families. Breaking new methodological and historiographical ground, this book captures the subjective experience of mid-twentieth century communist life in these two countries and how this influenced the forms of radicalism that emerged in the 1960s and beyond.”– Paul C. Mishler, Associate Professor of Labor Studies, Indiana University; author of Raising Reds: Young Pioneers, Radical Summer Camps, and Communist Political Culture in the United States 1922-1956 (Columbia University Press, 1999)Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1 Introduction: Cradle Communists and Oral History Part I 2 Under the Party’s Wing: Communist Youth Organisations 1920-1956 Foundation years Class Against Class and Popular Front The Spanish Civil War The Second World War Promising years: 1945-1948 Isolation: 1948-1956 3 Out of the Shadows: Communist Youth Organisations 1957-1968 The ban-the-bomb movement The politicisation of youth The student movement The anti-Vietnam War movement Old guard vs. new guard 4 Fragmentation and Demise: Communist Youth Organisations 1969-1991 Gender roles, sexuality and the feminist movement The anti-racist movement The gay rights movement The final years Part II 5 From Heroes to Villains: The Second World War and '1956' Resistance and war trauma '1956' 6 Private Spheres: Communist Home Life Politics at home Cultural upbringing Child-rearing mores 7 Public Spheres: Neighbourhood, School and Work School and education Work and careers Anti-communism – MI5 and the BVD Working mothers Money and poverty Summer camps and holidays Friendships and relationships 8 Epilogue: Looking Back 9 Afterword List of Abbreviations Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDániel Mikecz addresses in this study the tensions between oppositional civil society and party-political actors. As successive elections demonstrate the increasing confidence of the illiberal regime of Viktor Orbán, left and liberal parties of the opposition have faced a prolonged crisis in credibility. At the same time, the civil society has not been immobile, and bottom-up initiatives, social and political movements, and non-governmental organizations have gained momentum in the public sphere. The ruling power is also active in the extra-parliamentary political arena. Through national consultations, Peace Marches, and other means, Orbán’s governing Fidesz party has mobilized voters outside of election campaigns and has implemented a so-called movement governance. The study offers a vivid examination of this top-down or astroturf mobilization of the regime. Mikecz identifies the different patterns of activism and creates a coherent typology. He describes in detail each kind of activism based on opinion surveys, protest surveys and content analysis. The categorization and comprehensive exploration of civil movements provide a deep understanding of the mechanisms of illiberal postcommunist regimes.Table of ContentsList of Tables 1 Introduction 2 The Context of Activism: Civil Society and Political Participation in Hungary From Civil Society to Civil Movements The Political Opportunity Structure of the Hungarian Illiberal Regime 3 Protest and Politics after the Illiberal Turn New Waves of Protest and Political Participation after 2010 Structural Contrasts between Civil and Political Action Institutionalization Processes 4 Patterns of Activism in Hungary Civil Ethos Activism Experience-oriented, Altruistic Activism Advocacy Activism Exclusive Political Activism Populist Political Activism 5 Conclusions Bibliography Appendix Index

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Book SynopsisCan a writer help to bring about a more just society? This question was at the heart of the movement of al-adab al-multazim, or committed literature, which claimed to dominate Arab writing in the mid-twentieth century. By the 1960s, however, leading Egyptian writers had retreated into disillusionment, producing agonized works that challenged the key assumptions of socially engaged writing. Rather than a rejection of the idea, however, these works offered reinterpretation of committed writing that helped set the stage for activist writers of the present.David DiMeo focuses on the work of three leading writers whose socially committed fiction was adapted to the disenchantment and discontent of the late twentieth century: Naguib Mahfouz, Yusuf Idris, and Sonallah Ibrahim. Despite their disappointments with the direction of Egyptian society in the decades following the 1952 revolution, they kept the spirit of committed literature alive through a deeply introspective examination of the relationship between the writer, the public, and political power.Reaching back to the roots of this literary movement, DiMeo examines the development of committed literature from its European antecedents to its peak of influence in the 1950s, and contrasts the committed works with those of disillusionment that followed. Committed to Disillusion is vital reading for scholars and students of Arabic literature and the modern history and politics of the Middle East.Trade Review"DiMeo not only delivers useful stand-alone analyses of both major and less-studied works by Mahfouz, Idris, and Ibrahim, but also offers a persuasive framework for the history of committed literature in Egypt, exploring how artists have grappled with the realization that political art is often powerless to bring about political change. As this book's heartbreaking conclusion points out, the same question has reverberated through the literature produced amid the Arab Uprisings and the waves of euphoria and disillusion that have followed."--Margaret Litvin, author of Hamlet's Arab Journey: Shakespeare's Prince and Nasser's Ghost"Dimeo is a masterful literary critic "--The Jordan Times

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an anatomy of Hong Kong's 2019-2020 social unrest, which has significantly damaged its economy and image. A coalition of Opposition to the Communist Party of China (CPC) emerged in Hong Kong after the 1989 Tiananmen Square Incident. Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, which became effective in 1997, defines 'one country, two systems' in Hong Kong but inadvertently installed an 'opposition politics' system that the city was unfamiliar with. Freshly out of a colonial system, Hong Kong did not have the socio-ecological system to hold politicians accountable for their policies. For decades, the tug of war between the Opposition and all other politicians delivered incoherent public policies that raised the costs of living and income disparity, while hollowing out economic opportunities in the middle that particularly hurt the younger generations. Meanwhile, the Opposition camp promotes the blame narrative that the CPC is chipping away at Hong Kong's democracy and freedom. While the narrative's empirical evidence is weak and its linkage to Hong Kong's economic grievances is absent, the Opposition camp propagates the narrative relentlessly. Ironically, the Opposition Camp has fallen captive to the narrative in the sense that its legitimacy is now tied with the narrative. Two decades of rallies grounded on the blame narrative have profoundly influenced the development of people who grew up after 1997. Furthermore, the year-long unrest has socialized many more to adopt the narrative. The younger generations are hurt first by inconsistent public policies, and on top of that, the blame narrative that robs them of any coherent social identity; and finally, the unrest further dims their future. Hong Kong now faces the problem of how to re-incorporate a significant portion among its younger generations into mainstream society. This book offers in-depth analyses of the journey, identifies government and societal failures, and suggests long- and short-term policy directions.Table of ContentsIntroduction; The Beginning: History before 1982; 1982 to the 1997 Hand-Over: Distrust and Seeds for Trouble; Post-1997: An Era of Inconsistent Policies; A Series of Protests Leading to the 2019-2020 Social Unrest; The Narrative: Is China Repressive?; Accountability-Light and Narrative Politics; The Youth: Their Identity and Education, and the Government's Failure; Long- and Short-Term Learning and Solutions;

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an anatomy of Hong Kong's 2019-2020 social unrest, which has significantly damaged its economy and image. A coalition of Opposition to the Communist Party of China (CPC) emerged in Hong Kong after the 1989 Tiananmen Square Incident. The Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution which took effect in 1997, defined 'one country, two systems' in Hong Kong but inadvertently installed an 'opposition politics' system that the city was unfamiliar with. Fresh out of a colonial system, Hong Kong did not have the socio-ecological system to hold politicians accountable for their policies. For more than two decades, the tug of war between the Opposition and all other politicians has been delivering inconsistent public policies raising the costs of living and income disparity while hollowing out job opportunities. As a result, the younger generations have been immensely hurt. Meanwhile, the Opposition Camp has been promoting the blame narrative that the CPC is chipping away at Hong Kong's democracy and freedom. While the narrative's empirical evidence is weak and its linkage to Hong Kong's economic grievances is absent, the Opposition Camp has fallen captive to the narrative in the sense that its legitimacy is now tied to the narrative.For more than twenty years, rallies built on the blame narrative have profoundly influenced the development of people who grew up after 1997. Furthermore, the year-long unrest has socialised many more to adopt the narrative. The younger generations have been hurt by inconsistent public policies, and on top of that, the blame narrative has robbed them of any coherent social identity; and finally, the unrest has further dimmed their future. Hong Kong is now facing the problem of how to reincorporate a significant portion among its younger generations into mainstream society. This book offers in-depth analyses of the journey, identifies government and societal failures, and suggests long- and short-term policy directions.Table of ContentsIntroduction; The Beginning: History before 1982; 1982 to the 1997 Hand-Over: Distrust and Seeds for Trouble; Post-1997: An Era of Inconsistent Policies; A Series of Protests Leading to the 2019-2020 Social Unrest; The Narrative: Is China Repressive?; Accountability-Light and Narrative Politics; The Youth: Their Identity and Education, and the Government's Failure; Long- and Short-Term Learning and Solutions;

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Book SynopsisWith a foreword written by G *#x0027;t HooftIn the 1960s, Leipzig was the center of resistance in East Germany. Harald Fritzsch, then a physics student, contemplated escape. But before he left, he wanted to demonstrate to the government that they had gone too far when they destroyed St. Paul's Church in May 1968. He accomplished that by unrolling a protest transparency in spectacular fashion. Despite the great efforts of the secret police, the STASI, the government was unable to find out who was responsible for this act. Soon after, together with a friend, Fritzsch began his journey to Bulgaria in order to escape into Turkey by traversing the Black Sea in a folding canoe. This was a daredevil endeavor, never done before.In this book, Harald Fritzsch — now a world-renowned physicist — portrays in captivating detail an authentic picture of the East German regime and the events of the late 1960s. Today, 40 years later, he critically takes stock of the events since German reunification.Trade Review"This book is of historical importance. It describes the tensions created by a ruthless regime in a defenseless community, the feelings of helplessness as well as the resourcefulness of those who wanted to make a difference, and then had to escape under life-threatening conditions. No one at the time knew whether the tiny pinpricks of the protesters would help at all to bring about any change in a seemingly perpetual situation and whether the monolithic autocrats could maintain their communist rule forever. Indeed, only few could surmise that less than two decades would be needed to bring the cold war to an end. What happened should not be forgotten. Personal accounts such as the one here are real jewels."from the foreword by Gerard 't Hooft, Nobel laureate"Rarely if ever does a world-famous scientist write a page-turning thriller every word of which is true! ... This wonderful book is both a heartwarming tale and a historical testament."Sheldon GlashowNobel laureate"This book, written by my collaborator Harald Fritzsch, describes his escape from East Germany in 1968 and the events in Leipzig that forced him to leave. He had organized a protest movement against the destruction of the 700-year-old Pauliner church in Leipzig. ... Fritzsch's story is fascinating, significant, and well told."Murray Gell-MannNobel laureate"Fritzsch's book on his life in Leipzig and his escape to the West should be read by everybody, who is interested in the history of Germany in the twentieth century. The book looks like a criminal story, but it is a true story, written down after the fall of the Berlin wall."Helmut Kohlex-chancellor of GermanyTable of ContentsAutumn 1967; Rheinsberg; In the Bay of Danzig ? Summer of 1967; As a Scout in Bulgaria ? November of 1967; Spring in Prague; Destruction of the Church ? May 1967; Preparations and a Visit by the Secret Police; The Transparency; The Following Days; Farewell to Leipzig; At the Golden Beach; The Escape; Going Ashore at Igneada; Istanbul; The Years Thereafter; Back in East Germany; After the Fall of the Wall; Reflections in the Year 2004; The Leipzig Pauliner Society.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines types of political participation in ten Asian countries. The inquiry begins by building on past theories of types of political behavior and who participates in each type. Then six dimensions of political participation are constructed and tested using a survey dataset from the Asian Barometer Survey. The findings from this empirical analysis indicate that Asians also fall into six political behavior types.The analysis continues with an examination of social characteristics (such as age, gender, income, etc.) that help determine with which type of participation one will be involved. After examining participation in the region as a whole, the scope of this book turns to a quantitative investigation of individual countries in Asia.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Theory; Participation in the Asian Context; Typologies of Participation in Asia; Political Behavior within Ten Asian Countries; Conclusion;

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Book SynopsisA LA Times Bestseller“…[A] compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders. …” — Los Angeles Mayor Karen BassThis is the story of Zev Yaroslavsky, the son of Ukrainian Jews who immigrated to the United States in the early 1920s. His memoir charts the journey of a young social activist who battled to free Soviet Jews before becoming one of the most consequential elected officials in Southern California. Fiercely independent, he combined an activist’s passion with a seasoned politician’s skill to challenge the region’s power brokers. He fought the Los Angeles Police Department’s excessive force and political spying policies, led the effort to ban local taxes from funding the 1984 Olympics, teamed with President Clinton to avert a catastrophic county bankruptcy, helped develop L.A.’s modern transit system, won a bruising battle with real estate interests to save the Santa Monica Mountains from rapacious development, and was pivotal in the development of Walt Disney Concert Hall and the modernization of the iconic Hollywood Bowl. “I may be part of the establishment,” he said on the day he was first sworn into office, “but the establishment is not part of me.” Trade Review“Zev’s Los Angeles is a compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders.Zev Yaroslavsky’s career in public service spanned Los Angeles’ emergence as a global city and some of its most trying times. His personal story is essential to understanding where our city is today, and where L.A. and the nation's cities are headed in the future. A must read for anyone curious about leadership and governing in changing and challenging times.” — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass“In his upcoming memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky takes readers on an uplifting and inspiring journey of personal faith, public service, and the shaping of Los Angeles. The son of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, his story is a quintessentially American one. From modest beginnings, Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark through his work on expanding health care, implementing innovative housing programs, and growing our city’s public transportation network. Zev gives readers an inside look into the life of one of the most empathic and effective leaders I’ve known, as well as insight into the challenges he overcame along the way. This memoir is for any reader looking for inspiration about their own ability to effect change in their community.”— U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)“Zev’s Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power, the autobiography of, well, Zev, revisits the period in which Los Angeles became what we know today: big and complex, multiracial, exciting, divided and far deeper than what meets the eye. Zev Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark on L.A. over decades on the City Council and the Board of Supervisors, and his thoughtful reflections earn his memoir an honored place in the history he helped make and now helps to understand. … Aided by former Los Angeles Times writer Josh Getlin, Yaroslavsky manages the dual tales of his own life and the broader L.A. story. The result is satisfying at every level: a solid history, an insightful analysis of power and a sincere reflection on a life of service.”— Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times“In Yaroslavsky’s book… you surely learn a lot about local politics… But there’s another set of lessons embedded in this memoir, about what it looks like to animate one’s values and honor one’s heritage while engaged in the deeply transactional and often cynical day-to-day of politics. … The long arc of his career combines idealism, ethical behavior — in four decades, not a whiff of scandal — and service to the greater good, the community. … That is to say, Yaroslasvky, who retired in 2014, left the city far better than he found it. God knows there’s still a lot left for a new generation of politicians to do. They have a fine example to follow.”— Rob Eshman, The Forward“Los Angeles can be harder to understand than most big cities. … Move to Boston or New York, and those cities will teach you how to be a Bostonian or a New Yorker. Move to Los Angeles, and the metropolis will more or less lie there, unfurled and opaque, awaiting instructions. … The place doesn’t tend to define its people. The people, in the aggregate, define the place. How that works is the subject of a new book by Zev Yaroslavsky, who has been a Los Angeles civic leader for the last five decades. … The book… is billed as a political memoir, but it is also a history of the people and policies that have shaped the city.”— Shawn Hubler, New York Times (California Today)“Yaroslavsky—former City Councilman, now retired from the County Board of Supervisors—has written, with Josh Getlin, an account of his years in government that will impress the most jaded critic. … Yaroslavsky writes that he intended his book to be ‘a history as much as a memoir,’ and the result is a studied account, written with an evident eye on posterity. … Yaroslavsky has provided an engrossing account of a tumultuous era and the often-subterranean battles that have shaped the city of Los Angeles. He may even give the reader a new appreciation for the work of a politician.”— Kathleen Hayes, The Jewish Journal“Zev Yaroslavsky led a long and highly productive political career that deserves proper ink. His history is our history… I highly recommend Zev’s Los Angeles to anyone who cares about the future of Los Angeles, especially those considering getting into politics or public service. … Zev’s book gives the reader an insider’s look at all Zev helped get done while in office. It’s a rather remarkable list, really. While reading this book, you will feel like you are right there in the meetings with him as he dashed about, pulling every lever of power he could in pursuit of a good cause. … Public policy can be dry, boring, and wonky. This book is anything but.”— Jeff Hall, Brentwood News“The son of Ukrainian immigrants turned one of the most important politicians in post-World War II Los Angeles walks readers through his life and career with anecdotes and asides in a style that’s just like him — plain-spoken, insightful, confident and crusading.”— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times (California Column)“Zev's Los Angeles is a peerless guide to the history, politics, and culture of the City of Angels. No one knows L.A. better. And no one conveys it in precisely this way—spellbinding, unvarnished, and yet elegant. It reads as if Zev were doing what he does best--holding court with that mix of photographic recall, a penchant for the piquant, the unmistakable no-nonsense style, and the staggering command of policy. This book is, at once, the story of one man's undying commitment to his city, a brilliant and revealing biography of LA, and a first-class primer on how to forge good governance at the local level. It should be of interest to all who are interested in how a city works—and how it should work.”— David Myers, Distinguished Professor and Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History, University of California, Los Angeles“Politicians often avoid risk until they are forced to do the right thing. Not Zev. With little political upside, he aggressively stood up for all civil rights, stared down LAPD bullies, and championed women’s rights. Throughout his 40-year career, he wielded political power not for himself, but to right wrongs. He passionately lived up to his oath of office—to faithfully protect and defend the Constitution. He has earned my respect and my friendship.”— Connie Rice, Civil Rights Lawyer, Author of Power Concedes Nothing“Zev Yaroslavsky will be remembered as one of L.A.’s most consequential public officials. He played a central role in nearly every major public policy from his upset 1975 council election in 1975 to his retirement as a county supervisor in 2014. This remarkable political autobiography offers one person’s journey through L.A.’s modern history. With acute perceptions, deep feeling, and detailed insider recollections of the key players and dramas, Yaroslavsky takes the reader from his family roots in the Russia empire to the swirling multiethnic and radical politics of Boyle Heights, to his efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry, to navigating the changing L.A. political scene through massive crises. In so doing, Yaroslavsky links his own story to the larger L.A. narrative. The book stands as an invaluable resource for students of public service in troubled times, and for those who hope to understand this complicated, ever-hopeful, and diverse region.”— Raphael J. Sonenshein, Executive Director, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, California State University, Los Angeles “Zev’s Los Angeles… works precisely because, like Zev, the tone is earnest. Over a long career of working through the endless bureaucracy that characterizes local politics, not to mention having to weather complaints from all sides of the Jewish community, Zev never lost sight of his dedication to serve the public good. … In this sea of cynicism, Zev has offered us a testament to the power of earnestness, a power rooted in one of our most precious resources: trust. … The key lesson I gleaned from Zev’s book is that you can be hip and cool and the world’s greatest schmoozer, but if you really want to accomplish good stuff in life, it’s best to be earnest. … It may even get people to like you.” — David Suissa, Jewish Journal (Editor's Note)“In this compelling memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky chronicles Los Angeles’ evolution into one of the world’s great cultural capitals and his role in that transformation. From Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, to the L.A. Opera, to the region’s museums and more—his influence in expanding L.A.’s cultural footprint is a remarkable legacy. I have been privileged to share many of the challenges and exciting moments in that history.”— James Conlon, Music Director, Los Angeles Opera, International Conductor“At a time of highly polarized, partisan politics, Zev Yaroslavsky’s memoir offers an insightful and very personal view of an era when Los Angeles leaders came together to tackle the most difficult issues facing the region, from police accountability and preserving green space, to protecting the region’s fragile safety net and expanding accessibility to the arts. Zev's Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power is required reading for students of leadership and government, and aspiring policymakers on what it takes to be an effective, issue-oriented leader.”— Miguel Santana, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation“[This] book is an informative recollection that anyone familiar with the local political scene for the past fifty years will find fascinating reading that reminds [readers] of the evolution of [the] city and takes [them] behind the scenes in City Hall, the County Hall of Administration and other seats of power. In Yaroslavsky’s case, he consistently used his increasing power for the public good.” — John Welborne, Larchmont Chronicle“Zev’s Los Angeles… is a fascinating book covering the extraordinary public service of an unlikely young activist whose unlikely election to the Los Angeles City Council in 1975 coincided with the transformation of Los Angeles into [a] major metropolis.So much has changed in the city over the past four decades, it’s hard to appreciate what it was like. Fortunately, Yaroslavsky invites you in, sits you down, and gives you the whole story.” — Patricia Lombard, Larchmont Buzz“Political memoirs generally fall into at least one of two categories, boasting or tattling—the first motivated by vanity, the second by revenge.Zev’s Los Angeles, subtitled ‘From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power,’ falls into a third category: teaching, motivated instead by the desire to impart knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Also, maybe ‘inspiring,’ as in encouraging young people to consider politics and elective office as an admirable and productive career choice.” — Joel Bellman, The Canyon Chronicle“I have watched Zev work but until I read this memoir, I had no idea of the scope of his activism and the impact he has had on so many areas… [I]t is a fabulous and exciting read… personal, political in the best sense of its meaning, and a veritable history of the city over the past 100 years. … Zev’s intellect and curiosity are contagious, and his passion for everything decent and good is the mark of the man. Those virtues are revealed on every page of this memoir. I urge you to read it.”— John L. Rosove, The Times of Israel (Blog)Table of Contents“I Will Love You Forever, if You Let Me”: A Dedication to Barbara Edelston Yaroslavsky (1947-2018)Introduction1. Roots of a Legacy: Shimon Soloveichik2. My Parents: Minna and David3. The Sandman Awakens4. Coming of Age5. The Walls Have Ears6. “Why Zev?”7. Be Indispensable to Your Constituents8. The Taxpayer and Renter Revolt9. The Untold Story of the 1984 Olympics10. Taking on the LAPD11. Big Money and the Battle to Preserve Neighborhoods 12. The Mayor’s Race That Never Was13. Sudden Change14. Designed Not to Govern15. The Crisis That Nearly Bankrupted the County16. The Transit Revolution17. Arts and Culture: Los Angeles’ Golden Age18. God Isn’t Making Mountains Anymore19. Confronting the Homeless Crisis20. Tragedy and Resurrection at MLK Hospital21. Every Cause Needs a Champion22. Witness to History 23. Who Could Have Imagined? Epilogue Index

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Book SynopsisA LA Times Bestseller“…[A] compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders. …”— Los Angeles Mayor Karen BassThis is the story of Zev Yaroslavsky, the son of Ukrainian Jews who immigrated to the United States in the early 1920s. His memoir charts the journey of a young social activist who battled to free Soviet Jews before becoming one of the most consequential elected officials in Southern California. Fiercely independent, he combined an activist’s passion with a seasoned politician’s skill to challenge the region’s power brokers. He fought the Los Angeles Police Department’s excessive force and political spying policies, led the effort to ban local taxes from funding the 1984 Olympics, teamed with President Clinton to avert a catastrophic county bankruptcy, helped develop L.A.’s modern transit system, won a bruising battle with real estate interests to save the Santa Monica Mountains from rapacious development, and was pivotal in the development of Walt Disney Concert Hall and the modernization of the iconic Hollywood Bowl. “I may be part of the establishment,” he said on the day he was first sworn into office, “but the establishment is not part of me.” Trade Review“In his upcoming memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky takes readers on an uplifting and inspiring journey of personal faith, public service, and the shaping of Los Angeles. The son of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, his story is a quintessentially American one. From modest beginnings, Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark through his work on expanding health care, implementing innovative housing programs, and growing our city’s public transportation network. Zev gives readers an inside look into the life of one of the most empathic and effective leaders I’ve known, as well as insight into the challenges he overcame along the way. This memoir is for any reader looking for inspiration about their own ability to effect change in their community.”— U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)“Zev’s Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power, the autobiography of, well, Zev, revisits the period in which Los Angeles became what we know today: big and complex, multiracial, exciting, divided and far deeper than what meets the eye. Zev Yaroslavsky left a lasting mark on L.A. over decades on the City Council and the Board of Supervisors, and his thoughtful reflections earn his memoir an honored place in the history he helped make and now helps to understand. … Aided by former Los Angeles Times writer Josh Getlin, Yaroslavsky manages the dual tales of his own life and the broader L.A. story. The result is satisfying at every level: a solid history, an insightful analysis of power and a sincere reflection on a life of service.”— Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times“In Yaroslavsky’s book… you surely learn a lot about local politics… But there’s another set of lessons embedded in this memoir, about what it looks like to animate one’s values and honor one’s heritage while engaged in the deeply transactional and often cynical day-to-day of politics. … The long arc of his career combines idealism, ethical behavior — in four decades, not a whiff of scandal — and service to the greater good, the community. … That is to say, Yaroslasvky, who retired in 2014, left the city far better than he found it. God knows there’s still a lot left for a new generation of politicians to do. They have a fine example to follow.”— Rob Eshman, The Forward“Los Angeles can be harder to understand than most big cities. … Move to Boston or New York, and those cities will teach you how to be a Bostonian or a New Yorker. Move to Los Angeles, and the metropolis will more or less lie there, unfurled and opaque, awaiting instructions. … The place doesn’t tend to define its people. The people, in the aggregate, define the place. How that works is the subject of a new book by Zev Yaroslavsky, who has been a Los Angeles civic leader for the last five decades. … The book… is billed as a political memoir, but it is also a history of the people and policies that have shaped the city.”— Shawn Hubler, New York Times (California Today)“Yaroslavsky—former City Councilman, now retired from the County Board of Supervisors—has written, with Josh Getlin, an account of his years in government that will impress the most jaded critic. … Yaroslavsky writes that he intended his book to be ‘a history as much as a memoir,’ and the result is a studied account, written with an evident eye on posterity. … Yaroslavsky has provided an engrossing account of a tumultuous era and the often-subterranean battles that have shaped the city of Los Angeles. He may even give the reader a new appreciation for the work of a politician.”— Kathleen Hayes, The Jewish Journal“Zev Yaroslavsky led a long and highly productive political career that deserves proper ink. His history is our history… I highly recommend Zev’s Los Angeles to anyone who cares about the future of Los Angeles, especially those considering getting into politics or public service. … Zev’s book gives the reader an insider’s look at all Zev helped get done while in office. It’s a rather remarkable list, really. While reading this book, you will feel like you are right there in the meetings with him as he dashed about, pulling every lever of power he could in pursuit of a good cause. … Public policy can be dry, boring, and wonky. This book is anything but.”— Jeff Hall, Brentwood News“The son of Ukrainian immigrants turned one of the most important politicians in post-World War II Los Angeles walks readers through his life and career with anecdotes and asides in a style that’s just like him — plain-spoken, insightful, confident and crusading.”— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times (California Column)“In this compelling memoir, Zev Yaroslavsky chronicles Los Angeles’ evolution into one of the world’s great cultural capitals and his role in that transformation. From Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, to the L.A. Opera, to the region’s museums and more—his influence in expanding L.A.’s cultural footprint is a remarkable legacy. I have been privileged to share many of the challenges and exciting moments in that history.”— James Conlon, Music Director, Los Angeles Opera, International Conductor“Zev’s Los Angeles is a compelling history of our city’s last half century, as conveyed through the life of one of our most impactful leaders.Zev Yaroslavsky’s career in public service spanned Los Angeles’ emergence as a global city and some of its most trying times. His personal story is essential to understanding where our city is today, and where L.A. and the nation's cities are headed in the future. A must read for anyone curious about leadership and governing in changing and challenging times.” — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass“At a time of highly polarized, partisan politics, Zev Yaroslavsky’s memoir offers an insightful and very personal view of an era when Los Angeles leaders came together to tackle the most difficult issues facing the region, from police accountability and preserving green space, to protecting the region’s fragile safety net and expanding accessibility to the arts. Zev's Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power is required reading for students of leadership and government, and aspiring policymakers on what it takes to be an effective, issue-oriented leader.”— Miguel Santana, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation“Politicians often avoid risk until they are forced to do the right thing. Not Zev. With little political upside, he aggressively stood up for all civil rights, stared down LAPD bullies, and championed women’s rights. Throughout his 40-year career, he wielded political power not for himself, but to right wrongs. He passionately lived up to his oath of office—to faithfully protect and defend the Constitution. He has earned my respect and my friendship.”— Connie Rice, Civil Rights Lawyer, Author of Power Concedes Nothing“Zev's Los Angeles is a peerless guide to the history, politics, and culture of the City of Angels. No one knows L.A. better. And no one conveys it in precisely this way—spellbinding, unvarnished, and yet elegant. It reads as if Zev were doing what he does best--holding court with that mix of photographic recall, a penchant for the piquant, the unmistakable no-nonsense style, and the staggering command of policy. This book is, at once, the story of one man's undying commitment to his city, a brilliant and revealing biography of L.A., and a first-class primer on how to forge good governance at the local level. It should be of interest to all who are interested in how a city works—and how it should work.”— David Myers, Distinguished Professor and Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History, University of California, Los Angeles“Zev Yaroslavsky will be remembered as one of L.A.’s most consequential public officials. He played a central role in nearly every major public policy from his upset 1975 council election in 1975 to his retirement as a county supervisor in 2014. This remarkable political autobiography offers one person’s journey through L.A.’s modern history. With acute perceptions, deep feeling, and detailed insider recollections of the key players and dramas, Yaroslavsky takes the reader from his family roots in the Russia empire to the swirling multiethnic and radical politics of Boyle Heights, to his efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry, to navigating the changing L.A. political scene through massive crises. In so doing, Yaroslavsky links his own story to the larger L.A. narrative. The book stands as an invaluable resource for students of public service in troubled times, and for those who hope to understand this complicated, ever-hopeful, and diverse region.”— Raphael J. Sonenshein, Executive Director, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, California State University, Los Angeles “Zev’s Los Angeles… works precisely because, like Zev, the tone is earnest. Over a long career of working through the endless bureaucracy that characterizes local politics, not to mention having to weather complaints from all sides of the Jewish community, Zev never lost sight of his dedication to serve the public good. … In this sea of cynicism, Zev has offered us a testament to the power of earnestness, a power rooted in one of our most precious resources: trust. … The key lesson I gleaned from Zev’s book is that you can be hip and cool and the world’s greatest schmoozer, but if you really want to accomplish good stuff in life, it’s best to be earnest. … It may even get people to like you.” — David Suissa, Jewish Journal (Editor's Note)“[This] book is an informative recollection that anyone familiar with the local political scene for the past fifty years will find fascinating reading that reminds [readers] of the evolution of [the] city and takes [them] behind the scenes in City Hall, the County Hall of Administration and other seats of power. In Yaroslavsky’s case, he consistently used his increasing power for the public good.” — John Welborne, Larchmont Chronicle“Zev’s Los Angeles… is a fascinating book covering the extraordinary public service of an unlikely young activist whose unlikely election to the Los Angeles City Council in 1975 coincided with the transformation of Los Angeles into [a] major metropolis.So much has changed in the city over the past four decades, it’s hard to appreciate what it was like. Fortunately, Yaroslavsky invites you in, sits you down, and gives you the whole story.” — Patricia Lombard, Larchmont Buzz“Political memoirs generally fall into at least one of two categories, boasting or tattling—the first motivated by vanity, the second by revenge.Zev’s Los Angeles, subtitled ‘From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power,’ falls into a third category: teaching, motivated instead by the desire to impart knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Also, maybe ‘inspiring,’ as in encouraging young people to consider politics and elective office as an admirable and productive career choice.” — Joel Bellman, The Canyon Chronicle“I have watched Zev work but until I read this memoir, I had no idea of the scope of his activism and the impact he has had on so many areas… [I]t is a fabulous and exciting read… personal, political in the best sense of its meaning, and a veritable history of the city over the past 100 years. … Zev’s intellect and curiosity are contagious, and his passion for everything decent and good is the mark of the man. Those virtues are revealed on every page of this memoir. I urge you to read it.”— John L. Rosove, The Times of Israel (Blog)Table of Contents“I Will Love You Forever, if You Let Me”: A Dedication to Barbara Edelston Yaroslavsky (1947-2018)Introduction1. Roots of a Legacy: Shimon Soloveichik2. My Parents: Minna and David3. The Sandman Awakens4. Coming of Age5. The Walls Have Ears6. “Why Zev?”7. Be Indispensable to Your Constituents8. The Taxpayer and Renter Revolt9. The Untold Story of the 1984 Olympics10. Taking on the LAPD11. Big Money and the Battle to Preserve Neighborhoods 12. The Mayor’s Race That Never Was13. Sudden Change14. Designed Not to Govern15. The Crisis That Nearly Bankrupted the County16. The Transit Revolution17. Arts and Culture: Los Angeles’ Golden Age18. God Isn’t Making Mountains Anymore19. Confronting the Homeless Crisis20. Tragedy and Resurrection at MLK Hospital21. Every Cause Needs a Champion22. Witness to History 23. Who Could Have Imagined? Epilogue Index

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Book SynopsisThe Child Catcher is the true story of the fight to rescue the children confined to a violent and secretive institution in the rural South.Andrew Bridge’s bestselling memoir, Hope’s Boy, told the story of his survival after he was taken from his mother, who struggled with schizophrenia, and was left to foster care. Bridge was first confined at one of our country’s most notorious children’s institutions, MacLaren Hall. Now, in The Child Catcher, he chronicles his role in the longest-running, most bitterly fought mental health lawsuit in American history. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Bridge joined the small team of civil rights lawyers representing the children of the Eufaula Adolescent Center, a violent and secretive institution in the rural South, against the State of Alabama. Eufaula was a place Alabama had refused to surrender. Parents were lured into sending their children there, unable to get them bac

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