Pressure groups Books

Book SynopsisMake It Happen reminds us that people of any age can create change in their communities. From finding allies to setting goals, everyone who wants to contribute to a better future can learn from Amika''s book.'Malala YousafzaiNow, more than ever, we know that the world needs to change.And you can be the one to make it happen.As a teenager, Amika George successfully launched a campaign that pushed the UK government to fund free period products in every school across England.Featuring interviews with world-renowned activists, Make It Happen is her essential and inspirational guide to being an effective activist. From finding your crowd and creating allies to getting those in positions of power to listen, using social media to build a community and protecting your mental health while campaigning, Amika shows you how to create real and lasting change in your world.Trade Review'Amika is one of my favourite people on earth – she embodies why the world is so excited for Generation Z! Make it Happen is an inclusive, powerful, political, intelligent and brilliant book about how one person can truly make a difference in this world. If you feel remotely fed up with the status quo – you need this book in your life!’ Scarlett Curtis ‘Campaigning is an incredible force for good – it has the power to improve people’s lives. So, if you’re a young person who has an idea and wants to change the world – read this book and help make it happen.’ Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London ‘Inspiring and practical: an indispensable handbook for changing the world.’ Caroline Criado Perez ‘A personal, powerful, passionate, pragmatic, punchy book from one of Britain’s most exciting Gen Z activists. A great guide to moving and shaking with joy, spirit and real world results.’ Deborah Frances-White from The Guilty Feminist ‘Amika is a credit to her generation and makes me feel so much better about the future. Her tireless campaigning to make period poverty a thing of the past in the UK has helped millions of girls. The social and economic benefits of this will be seen for many years to come. I'm delighted to see that she has put her passion into words.’ June Sarpong ‘Amika is an inspiration to us all and a personal hero of mine.’ Josie Naughton, co-founder of Help Refugees ‘An inspirational London teenager.’ Evening Standard ‘Kickass founder of the #FreePeriods campaign and absolute kween’ Glamour ‘Schoolgirl by day, activist by night: we crown Amika George our next Girl on a Mission.’ Vogue ‘George is single-handedly fighting for teenage girls to be given the right to free sanitary products.Instead of simply firing off an angry Tweet, [Amika] decided to do something about period poverty. Like, actually do something about it.’ Elle

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Must-Read Book of 2020 - TIME'Should be read around the world.' Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist'Garza is ferociously smart and laser-focused... her passion is infectious.' Guardian_______________Black Lives Matter began as a hashtag when Alicia Garza wrote what she calls 'a love letter to Black people' on Facebook. But hashtags don't build movements, she tells us. People do. Interwoven with Garza's experience of life as a Black woman, The Purpose of Power is the story of how she responded to the persistent message that Black lives are of less value than white lives by galvanizing people to create change. It's an insight into grass roots organizing to deliver basic needs - affordable housing, workplace protections, access to good education - to those locked out of the economy by racism. It is an attempt not only to make sense of where Black Lives Matter came from but also to understand the possibilities that Black Lives Matter and movements like it hold for our collective futures. Ultimately, it's an appeal to hearts and minds, demanding that we think about our privileges and prejudices and ask how we might contribute to the change we want to see in the world._______________'Alicia Garza combines immense wisdom with political courage to inspire a new generation of activists, dreamers and leaders... People like Alicia have been speaking up for decades. If we want to turn protest into substantive change, it's about time we finally listened.' David Lammy, MP'Insightful, compelling and necessary.' Bryan Stevenson, author of Just MercyTrade Review"Black lives matter" - Alicia Garza's love letter read around the world. The Purpose of Power is another love letter that should be read around the world. * IBRAM X. KENDI, bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist *In a year where a long overdue reckoning with racism is once again in the spotlight, Garza's call to action to create a sustainable movement bigger than hashtags and social media followings is urgent and critically necessary * TIME *Lessons from a 20-year career spent organizing for change. * INDEPENDENT, A Book of 2020 *Read it for a fresh dose of inspiration for activism and justice. * GLAMOUR *Incisive, uplifting, and exactly what the world needs right now... A must-read book. * STYLIST *Alicia Garza has articulated the aspiration of generations of Black people to be valued, protected, respected and free. This beautiful, important and timely memoir is insightful, compelling and necessary in this critical moment of reckoning with our history * BRYAN STEVENSON, author of New York Times bestseller Just Mercy *As co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Garza has been leading the fight against racism for years. * COSMOPOLITAN *Alicia Garza's story is the definition of powerful. Part memoir, part roadmap, this book will light the way for anyone who wants to follow in her inspiring footsteps. Fed up of hashtag activism? This is the read you've been waiting for. * VIV GROSKOP, author of HOW TO OWN THE ROOM *Alicia Garza combines immense wisdom with political courage to inspire a new generation of activists, dreamers and leaders. Transforming the very meaning of solidarity, unity and leadership, The Purpose of Power offers a new model of organizing that makes room for those willing to learn. People like Alicia have been speaking up for decades. If we want to turn protest into substantive change, it's about time we finally listened * DAVID LAMMY, MP *'The Purpose of Power is a must read... Anyone interested in turning the page of our contemptible past toward a brighter future should put this book on their reading list' * Congresswoman Barbara Lee *A rousing, rigorous book to enlighten and inspire. * CULTURE WHISPERER *In a year when a long overdue reckoning with racism is once again in the spotlight, Garza's call to action to create a sustainable movement bigger than hashtags and social media followings is urgent and critically necessary. * TIME *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisQ. What's worth 2,000,000,000, answers to no-one and operates out of public sight? A. Britain's influence industry The corporate takeover of democracy is no conspiracy theory it's happening, and it affects every aspect of our lives: the food we eat, the places we live, the temperature of our planet, how we spend our money and how our money is spent for us. And much more. A Quiet Word shows just how effectively the voice of public interest is being drowned out by the word in the ear from the professional persuaders of the lobbying industry. And if you've never heard about them, that's because the most effective lobbying goes unnoticed. A Quiet Word shines the brightest of lights into one of the darkest and least-understood corners of our political culture. It is essential, urgent, authoritative reading for anyone interested in our democracy and where this country is heading. And by showing how influence is constructed, it puts power back in your hands.Trade ReviewFascinating… [Cave and Rowell] lay bare the tricks of the trade, from "astroturfing" (whipping up what looks like grassroots protest against new regulatory threats, but is in fact a front for industry interests) to using thinktanks as "wonk whores" that can push helpful ideas -- Gaby Hinsliff * Guardian *Indispensable -- George Monbiot * Guardian *Demonstrates beyond doubt how lobbyists distort democracy and ensure that elite opinion crowds out public views * New Statesman *A chillingly accurate description of how presentation and spin trumps substantive argument in the upper echelons of power... A Quiet Word is important and, generally, right -- Mark Leftly * Independent on Sunday *A timely account of how voters are conceding power to a silent industry -- JP O'Malley * Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDoes America's pro-Israel lobby wield inappropriate control over US foreign policy? This book has created a storm of controversy by bringing out into the open America's relationship with the Israel lobby: a loose coalition of individuals and organizations that actively work to shape foreign policy in a way that is profoundly damaging both to the United States and Israel itself. Israel is an important, valued American ally, yet Mearsheimer and Walt show that, by encouraging unconditional US financial and diplomatic support for Israel and promoting the use of its power to remake the Middle East, the lobby has jeopardized America's and Israel's long-term security and put other countries including Britain at risk.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMalcolm X''s The Autobiography of Malcolm X was written in collaboration with Alex Haley, author of Roots, and includes an introduction by Paul Gilroy, author of The Black Atlantic, in Penguin Modern Classics.From hustling, drug addiction and armed violence in America''s black ghettos Malcolm X turned, in a dramatic prison conversion, to the puritanical fervour of the Black Muslims. As their spokesman he became identified in the white press as a terrifying teacher of race hatred; but to his direct audience, the oppressed American blacks, he brought hope and self-respect. This autobiography (written with Alex Haley) reveals his quick-witted integrity, usually obscured by batteries of frenzied headlines, and the fierce idealism which led him to reject both liberal hypocrisies and black racialism.Vilified by his critics as an anti-white demagogue, Malcolm X gave a voice to unheard African-Americans, bringing them pride, hope and fearlessness, and remains an inspirational and controversial figure.Malcolm X (1925-65), born Malcolm Little in Omaha, and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, lost both his parents at a young age. Leaving school early, he soon became part of Harlem''s underworld, and in 1946 he was sentenced to ten years'' imprisonment. It was in prison that Malcolm X converted to Islam. Paroled in 1952, he became an outspoken defender of Muslim doctrines, formed the Organization of Afro-American Unity in 1963, and had received considerable publicity by the time of his assassination in 1965.If you enjoyed The Autobiography of Malcolm X, you might like Nelson Mandela''s No Easy Walk to Freedom, also available in Penguin Modern Classics.''This extraordinary autobiography is a brilliant, painful, important book''The New York TimesTable of ContentsNightmare; mascot; "homeboy"; Laura; harlemite; Detroit red; hustler; trapped; caught; satan; saved; saviour; minister Malcolm X; Black Muslims; Icarus; out; Mecca; El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz; 1965.

Read more less

Book Synopsis**Winner of the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose**''A devastating front-line account of the police killings and the young activism that sparked one of the most significant racial justice movements since the 1960s: Black Lives Matter ... Lowery more or less pulls the sheet off America ... essential reading'' Junot Díaz, The New York Times, Books of 2016''Electric ... so well reported, so plainly told and so evidently the work of a man who has not grown a callus on his heart'' Dwight Garner, The New York Times, ''A Top Ten Book of 2016''''I''d recommend everyone to read this book ... it''s not just statistics, it''s not just the information, but it''s the connective tissue that shows the human story behind it. I really enjoyed it'' Trevor Noah, host of Comedy Central''s ''The Daily Show''A deeply reported book on the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement, offering unparalleled insight inTrade ReviewA courageous chronicle of how police violence sparked a political movement ... A century and a half after slavery, and 50 years since the end of legal segregation, They Can't Kill Us All impressively brings us up to date with America's fraught history of racial injustice -- K Biswas * New Statesman *A devastating front-line account of the police killings and the young activism that sparked one of the most significant racial justice movements since the 1960s: Black Lives Matter. In his quest to understand how and why this movement sprang up when it did, Lowery seems to have been everywhere and spoken to everyone (his interview of Alicia Garza is especially noteworthy). Lowery more or less pulls the sheet off America, exposing the malign disavowals and horrendous racial structures and logics that make the unjust deaths of young men like Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Sean Bell not only possible but inevitable. As a primer for the Black Lives Matter movement and as a meditation on the death-grip that white supremacy has on the American soul, "They Can't Kill Us All" is essential reading -- Junot Diaz, 'Book of the Year' * The New York Times *Electric... So well reported, so plainly told and so evidently the work of a man who has not grown a callus on his heart... Valuable for many reasons -- Dwight Garner * New York Times *Lowery is unflinchingly honest...a skillful reporter and storyteller. He takes the reader through the laborious task of reportage with a humanity and forthrightness, making this book more than just a catalog of tragedy. He succinctly presents a story of human grief * New York Times Book Review *You've really captured it. One reason I'd recommend everyone to read this book is because it's not just statistics, it's not just the information, but it's the connective tissue that shows the human story behind it. I really enjoyed it * Trevor Noah, host of Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show' *Vital and important. * Washington Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo topic is more polarizing than guns and gun control. From a gun culture that took root early in American history to the mass shootings that repeatedly bring the public discussion of gun control to a fever pitch, the topic has preoccupied citizens, public officials, and special interest groups for decades. In this thoroughly revised second edition of The Gun Debate: What Everyone Needs to Know noted economist Philip J. Cook and political scientist Kristin A. Goss delve into the issues that Americans debate when they talk about guns. With a balanced and broad-ranging approach, the authors thoroughly cover the latest research, data, and developments on gun ownership, gun violence, the firearms industry, and the regulation of firearms. The authors also tackle sensitive issues such as the impact of gun violence on quality of life, the influence of exposure to gun violence on mental health, home production of guns, arming teachers, the effect of concealed weapons on crime rates, and the ability of authorities to disarm people who aren''t allowed to have a gun. No discussion of guns in the U.S. would be complete without consideration of the history, culture, and politics that drive the passion behind the debate. Cook and Goss deftly explore the origins of the American gun culture and the makeup of both the gun rights and gun control movements.Written in question-and-answer format, this updated edition brings the debate up-to-date for the current political climate under Trump and will help readers make sense of the ideologically driven statistics and slogans that characterize our national conversation on firearms. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in getting a clear view of the issues surrounding guns and gun policy in America.Trade Review...the authors are without doubt two of the best-informed and serious gun scholars publishing today ... they have written a very balanced and well-documented essay that objectively summarizes the state of the gun argument on both sides of the debate." -Mike the Gun GuyThe Gun Debate is written in an admirably neutral tone. Summarizing results from hundreds of studies, the book makes a hugely positive contribution toward sensitive and sensible evidence-based evaluation of what has worked, and what hasn't, in gun control - and why. The language is straightforward English, not econ-speak or reams of tables and statistics. There is something for everyone to take away from this book. * Stone Garden Economics *Too many debates about public policy in the US suffer from the absence of accurate information, careful reasoning, and objective research. This superb book not only supplies all that for firearm regulation at the national, state, and local levels but also serves as a sterling model for other policy topics." -CHOICEWOW! + rated. Just the facts from all points of view." -The Lone Star Book ReviewCook and Goss, public policy professors at Duke University, provide a fantastic overview of the major issues. Although they tend to favor stricter regulation, their book is balanced * and frank about what both sides get wrong." -The Washington Post *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. America and Its Guns 2. Reasons for Owning a Firearm 3. The Value of Guns for Safety and Protection 4. The Costs of Gun Violence 5. Causes of Gun Violence 6. Manufacture and Marketing of Guns 7. How America Regulates Firearms 8. Effectiveness of Firearms Policy 9. Guns and Gun Control in History 10. Public Opinion and Political Party Positions on Guns 11. The Gun Rights Movement 12. The Gun Control Movement 13. Gun Policy Going Forward Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis new selection of Gandhi's writings taken from his books, articles, letters and interviews sets out his views on religion, politics, society, non-violence and civil disobedience. Judith M. Brown's excellent introduction and notes examines his philosophy and the political context in which he wrote.Table of ContentsGANDHI, HIS MISSION, AND THE INFLUENCES ON HIM; AUTHENTIC HUMAN LIFE AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL; TRANSFORMING SOCIETIES; INDIA UNDER BRITISH RULE: MAKING A NEW NATION; NON-VIOLENCE AS POLITICAL ACTION

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf you asked a passerby on the street what anarchism is, they may answer that it is an ideology based on chaos, disorder, and violence. But is this true? What exactly is anarchism?This Very Short Introduction provides a new point of departure for our understanding of anarchism. Prichard describes anarchism as a lived set of practices, with a rich historical legacy, and shows how anarchists have inspired and criticised some of our most cherished values and concepts, from the ideals of freedom, participatory education, federalism, to important topics like climate change, and wider popular culture in science fiction. By locating the emergence and globalization of anarchist ideas in a history of colonialism and imperialism, the book links anarchism into struggles for freedom across the world and demonstrates that anarchism has much to offer anyone trying to envision a better future. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: The origins of anarchism 2: The globalisation of anarchism 3: Anarchism today 4: Anarchism and the provision of public goods: health and policing 5: Anarchism and the provision of public goods: work and education 6: Anarchism and world politics Further reading Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.''This landmark missive from one of the greatest activists in history calls for direct, non-violent resistance in the fight against racism, and reflects on the healing power of love.Penguin Modern: fifty new books celebrating the pioneering spirit of the iconic Penguin Modern Classics series, with each one offering a concentrated hit of its contemporary, international flavour. Here are authors ranging from Kathy Acker to James Baldwin, Truman Capote to Stanislaw Lem and George Orwell to Shirley Jackson; essays radical and inspiring; poems moving and disturbing; stories surreal and fabulous; taking us from the deep South to modern Japan, New York''s underground scene to the farthest reaches of outer space.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOctober 21, 1967, Washington, D.C. 20,000 to 200,000 protesters are marching to end the war in Vietnam, while helicopters hover overhead and federal marshals and soldiers with fixed bayonets await them on the Pentagon steps. Among the marchers is Norman Mailer. From his own singular participation in the day''s events and his even more extraordinary perceptions comes a classic work that shatters the mould of traditional reportage. Intellectuals and hippies, clergymen and cops, poets and army MPs crowd the pages of a book in which facts are fused with techniques of fiction to create the nerve-end reality of experiential truth.The Armies of the Night uniquely and unforgettably captures the Sixties'' tidal wave of love and rage at its crest and a towering genius at his peak.Trade ReviewOnly a born novelist could have written a piece of history so intelligent, mischievous, penetrating and alive * The New York Times Book Review *His genuine wit and bellicose charm, and his fervent and intense sense of legitimately caring, render The Armies of the Night an artful document, worthy to be judged as literature * Time *Mesmerising, and to re-read it today is to experience an additional punch: the one that verifies that history repeats itself as (malignant) farce * Guardian *A work of personal and political reportage that brings to the inner and developing crisis of the United States at this moment admirable sensibilities, candid intelligence, the most moving concern for America itself. Mailer's intuition in this book is that the times demand a new form. He has found it * New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMiami, Summer 1968. The Vietnam War is raging; Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy have just been assassinated. The Republican Party meets in Miami and picks Richard Nixon as its candidate, to little fanfare. But when the Democrats back Lyndon Johnson''s ineffectual vice president, Hubert Humphrey, the city of Chicago erupts. Antiwar protesters fill the streets and the police run amok, beating and arresting demonstrators and delegates alike, all broadcast on live television, and captured in these pages by one of America''s fiercest intellects.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''He changed the course of history'' Barack Obama''Lightning makes no sound until it strikes''This is the momentous story of the Civil Rights movement, told by one of its most powerful and eloquent voices. Here Martin Luther King, Jr. recounts the pivotal events in the city of Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 that propelled his non-violent campaign for racial justice from a movement of lunch counter sit-ins and prayer meetings to a phenomenon that ''rocked the richest, most powerful nation to its foundations''. As inspiring and resonant as it was upon publication, Why We Can''t Wait is both a unique historical document, and an enduring testament to one man''s wise, courageous and endlessly hopeful vision.Trade ReviewA champion for justice, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., helped awaken our Nation's long-slumbering conscience and inspired a generation ... He changed the course of history -- Barack ObamaMartin Luther King's early words return to us today with enormous power, as profoundly true, as wise and inspiring, now as when he wrote them -- Howard Zinn

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe life of Gandhi, in his own words150th Anniversary Edition with a New Introduction by Pankaj Mishra''Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood'' Albert Einstein upon the death of M. K. GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in western India in 1869. He was educated in London and later travelled to South Africa, where he experienced racism and took up the rights of Indians, instituting his first campaign of passive resistance. In 1915 he returned to British-controlled India, bringing to a country in the throes of independence his commitment to non-violent change, and his belief always in the power of truth. Under Gandhi''s lead, millions of protesters would engage in mass campaigns of civil disobedience, seeking change through moral conversion of the colonizers. For Gandhi, the long path towards Indian independence would lead to imprisonment and hardship, yet he neveTrade ReviewGenerations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood -- Albert Einstein upon the death of M. K. GandhiChrist gave us the goals and Mahatma Gandhi the tactics -- Martin Luther King Jr.He is a hero not just to India but to the world -- Barack ObamaI have the greatest admiration for Mahatma Gandhi. He was a great human being with a deep understanding of human nature. His life has inspired me -- The Dalai LamaGandhi's ideas have played a vital role in South Africa's transformation and with the help of Gandhi's teaching, apartheid has been overcome -- Nelson Mandela

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book, which accompanies a bold and forward-facing British Library exhibition, presents the history of women's rights in sixteen diverse and timely essays.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom their earliest meetings, activist David Graeber knew that the Occupy Wall Street movement was something different. From small beginnings its demonstrations spread across the world to cities like Cairo, Athens, Barcelona and London and gave a glimpse of a new way. This provocative look at the actions of the 99% asks: why was it so effective? What went right? And what can we all do now to make our world democratic once again? Both a treatise on power and protest and an energetic account of contemporary events, The Democracy Project will change the way you think about politics, and the world.Trade ReviewCaptures the joys and fears of a movement that believed it was on the cusp of achieving something special -- John Kampfner * Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDefying all the odds 1600 men, women and children went out on 24 April, Easter Monday, 1916 to fight for an independent Ireland. Vividly illustrated, this book takes you through the battle-torn streets of Dublin.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGives you the information you need to begin, or continue, your understanding of what it means to be a true anti-racist ally' Pippa VosperDo you want to be an anti-racist ally?This punchy, pocket-sized guide shows you how, whether you're using your voice for the first time, or are looking for ways to keep the momentum and make long lasting change.Sophie Williams' no-holds-barred posts about racism and Black Lives Matter on @officialmillennialblack have taken the online world by storm. Sharp, simple and insightful, they get to the heart of anti-racist principles and show us all how to truly be better allies.Now, in her iconic Instagram style, this pocket-sized primer unpacks complex topics into their most important concepts, and provides a crucial starting block for every anti-racist ally.Trade Review‘In a year that has made racial divisions painfully clear, Sophie Williams’ concise and comprehensive book could not be better timed. Those who are newly aware of their place of privilege and looking to take action that goes beyond the black square, would do well to start by reading this.’ Kenya Hunt, Fashion Director, Grazia magazine ‘For the uninitiated, anti-racism allyship can feel fraught with risk. In this clear-eyed, concise guide to being an effective ally, Sophie Williams gives us space to make mistakes and teaches us to be better.’ Kia Abdullah, Take It Back ‘Gives you the information you need to begin, or continue, your understanding of what it means to be a true anti-racist ally’ Pippa Vosper ‘An incredible, insightful book’ Michael Chakraverty Great British Bake Off, Season 10 ‘A punchy, pocket-sized guide which unpacks complex anti-racist topics into their most important concepts and shows us how to be a truly better ally’ GLAMOUR ‘If you feel less-than-informed, this book will get you up to speed with stats and facts.’ COSMOPOLITAN

Read more less

Book SynopsisGlorious' GUARIDAN''Vigorous, rigorous and eminently readable' SPECTATORLondon is a city of dreamers. A city of possibility and experiment. A city of fervent imaginings and courageous aspirations. For centuries, it has been the capital of utopian thought. The Infinite City tells this history for the first time. In his soaring new book, Niall Kishtainy draws us into the imaginative worlds of Thomas More, the Diggers, William Morris and Extinction Rebellion protestors. He introduces us to thinkers like Thomas Spence who threw coins stamped with the words YOU FOOLS' into the alleys of Holborn. To Ada Salter who was the first woman borough councillor in London and ignited the Bermondsey Revolution. To ninety-two-year-old Dolly Watson who became the queen of Claremont Road in Leytonstone during the Reclaim the Streets protests in the 1990s. These are inspiring tales of people who drew might from the city around them and fought for their ideologies in an increasingly transforming world.BeginTrade Review A Waterstones Best Book of 2023 A TLS Best Book of 2023 ‘Engaging… The Infinite City bravely challenges those who view London merely “as an infernal maze, as a centre of wealth, power and empire” and highlights instead those who have imagined it as a place of “possibility and experiment”’ TELEGRAPH, **** star review ‘An excellent history of London-based Utopian thought . . . vigorous, rigorous and eminently readable’ SPECTATOR ‘In a series of vivid depictions of London spanning centuries, Kishtainy brings back to life some of London’s utopian dreamers, including the Diggers, Thomas Spence and the socialist mystic James Pierrepont Greaves, founder of the Ham Common Concordium, an austere utopian spiritual co-operative’ LITERARY REVIEW ‘I was fascinated by every page, every anecdote and every detail’ BEN JUDAH, author of This is London ‘From More’s Utopia to the forlorn hopes for a more equitable post-pandemic society, this is a fresh and fascinating look at utopias in theory and practice, artfully framed as a history of London. Conscientiously researched, yet brimful of memorable anecdotes about man-eating sheep and medieval churches made out of pudding, it impresses upon us the importance of daring to dream — and dream big — for yesterday’s impossibility can be tomorrow’s reality’ MATHEW GREEN, author of Shadowlands ‘Reconstructing some of the many utopian fantasies that London has inspired since the sixteenth century, Niall Kishtainy has written a richly informative, elegantly argued book that introduces us to a series of dreamers who, far from appearing eccentric, seem all too relevant in the twenty-first century. The Infinite City will prompt us to rethink the value of utopia as well as to reconsider our understanding of the metropolis’ MATHEW BEAUMONT, author of Nightwalking

Read more less

Book SynopsisA New York Times Notable BookBest Books of 2021: TIME, SmithsonianNew York Times Book Review Editors'' ChoiceA radical reckoning with the racial inequality of America's past and present, by one of the country's leading scholars of policing and mass incarcerationBetween 1964 and 1972, the United States endured domestic violence on a scale not seen since the Civil War. During these eight years, Black residents responded to police brutality and systemic racism by throwing punches and Molotov cocktails at police officers, plundering local businesses and vandalizing exploitative institutions. Ever since, Americans have been living in a nation and national culture created, in part, by the extreme violence of this period.In America on Fire, acclaimed professor Elizabeth Hinton draws on previously untapped sources to unravel this extraordinary history for the first time, arguing that we cannot understand the civil rights struggle without coming to terms with the astonishing violence, and hugeTrade Review‘[A] groundbreaking, deeply researched and profoundly heart-rending account of the origins of our national crisis of police violence against Black America … America on Fire is more than a brilliant guided tour through our nation’s morally ruinous past. It reveals the deep roots of the current movement to reject a system of law enforcement that defines as the problem the very people who continue to seek to liberate themselves from racial oppression.’Peniel E. Joseph, New York Times ‘Hinton compiles a breathtaking list of more than a thousand uprisings, far beyond those with which we are most familiar . . . Hinton is not just recovering Black resistance; she is also exposing a long, and ignored, history of white political violence, used to maintain the subordinated status of Black communities . . . Hinton systematically unravels the failures of police reform’Keeanga Yamahtta-Taylor, The New Yorker ‘Not since Angela Davis’s 2003 book, Are Prisons Obsolete?, has a scholar so persuasively challenged our conventional understanding of the criminal legal system … Hinton tells this story with clarity, and her conclusions should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers’Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., Washington Post ‘[A] trenchant study … Illustrate[s] the origins and legacies of the rebellions that sprang from police incursions in Black life’Boston Globe ‘Hinton’s passionate, occasionally gritty approach is the opposite of a gauzy PBS series: she drills down into the granular, highlighting the courageous men and women who stood tall in a hail of bullets.’Oprah Daily, ‘Best Books to Pick Up This May’ ‘Indispensable … Essential to any understanding of the state of the nation, and the way from here.’Jill Lepore, bestselling author of These Truths: A History of the United States

Read more less

Book SynopsisMy Story: Princess Sophia Duleep Singh - the fascinating life storyof the princess and suffragette.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOver 40 empowering speeches celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in their own words through extracts and commissioned illustrations, spanning throughout history up to the modern day.Trade Review“The power of words is in full force in this diverse compilation of speeches from LGBTQ people who have changed the conversation and, indeed, the world. A must-have for your queer bookshelf.” - Attitude Magazine “Hopeful and galvanising, the anthology spans a sprawling 150 years of queer brilliance, and shows us how far we’ve come, and what work there still is to be done.” - Dazed “Tea Uglow has created a visually pleasing and emphatic collection that is as educational as is it easy on the eyes! Whether you leisurely flip through the pages or devour the entire collection in one sitting, [Great Queer Speeches] will be a timeless read.” - The Nerd Daily "this anthology reminds us of the power of words when used to fire the imagination, reassure communities under pressure and drive us forward to create a better world for ourselves and those who come after us. These words dream! Recommended.” - GScene magazine “…a fascinating and beautifully presented collection of inspiring words from some of the most important voices in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as from a number of our allies. These speeches - given by visionaries, civil rights activists, politicians and celebrities from the 1860s to the present day – are heartfelt, often angry but above all brutally honest, and open up a window on the unending fight for our rights, for our identity. It’s a book to dip into again and again, and one that belongs on everyone’s bookshelf, no matter how they identify.” - Darryl W Bullock Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword Introduction Karl Heinrich Ulrichs 1867 Robert G. Ingersoll 1892 Anna Rüling 1904 Sally Miller Gearhart 1972 Sylvia Rivera 1973 Franklin Kameny 1974 Audre Lorde 1977 Harvey Milk 1978 Harry Hay 1984 Bayard Rustin 1986 Sue Hyde 1988 Vito Russo 1988 Mary Fisher 1992 Sir Ian McKellen 1988 Essex Hemphill 1990 Simon Nkoli 1990 Urvashi Vaid 1993 Eric Rofes 1997 Elizabeth Toledo 2000 Tammy Baldwin 2000 Justice Michael Kirby 2002 Evan Wolfson 2004 Paul Martin 2005 Ian Hunter 2009 Dan Savage & Terry Miller 2010 Arsham Parsi 2010 Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum 2010 Hillary Rodham Clinton 2011 Anna Grodzka 2013 George Takei 2014 Debi Jackson 2014 J.hanna Sigurđard.ttir 2014 Lee Mokobe 2015 Alison Bechdel 2015 Barak Obama 2015 Sir Elton John 2015 Ban Ki-moon 2015 Loretta E. Lynch 2016 Geraldine Roman 2016 Penny Wong 2017 Cecilia Chung 2018 Hanne Gaby Odiele 2018 Olly Alexander 2019 Munroe Bergdorf 2019 More Voices to Inspire Credits Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisA history of global protests and social movements from the perspective of radical geographyTrade Review'Fuses theory, practice, and passion—love and rage—to reveal the nuanced geographical logics of social movements in places from Andhra Pradesh to Zuccotti Park at scales from the body to the globe' -- Cindi Katz, Author of Growing Up Global: Economic Restructuring and Children’s Everyday LivesTable of ContentsList of Figures Acknowledgements Series Preface 1. Radical Geographies of Protest: Spatial Strategies, Sites of Intervention and Scholar Activism 2. Know Your Place: Barricades, Rooftops and Being Steadfast 3. Make Some Space: Camps, Commons and Occupations 4. Stay Mobile: Packs and Swarms, Flash Mobs and Hacktivism 5. Wage Wars of Words: Testimonies, Communiqués and Culture Jamming 6. Extend Your Reach: Convergences, Conferences and Caravans 7. Feel Out of Place: Ethical Spectacles, Zaps and Guerrilla Performances 8. Space Invaders: Power, Politics and Protest Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Marxist-feminist approach examining disaster relief in the USTrade Review'Tells a fascinating and insightful tale of how the state, increasingly unable and unwilling to care for its citizens, came to depend on community survival projects in the face of disaster' -- Joshua Clover, author of Riot. Strike. Riot. (Verso, 2016)'A searching enquiry, keyed to our age of pandemics and climate catastrophe, and an exemplary application of insights from Marxist Social Reproduction Theory' -- Gareth Dale, author of Reconstructing Karl Polanyi (Pluto, 2016)Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1. 2005: The Unclaimed Corpses 2. Vulnerability Beyond Resilience 3. Disasters and Social Reproduction 4. 1930: Disasters, Natural and Federal 5. 1970: The Black Panthers' Quest for Dual Power 6. 1995: Poverty, Crime and the Heat 7. 2012: The Strange Success of Occupy Sandy 8. The Separated Society 9. 2020: I Can't Breathe Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTransport yourself back to the ’60s with Hippy & Trippy Art, a black-light poster book filled with psychedelic art.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisLobbying is a global industry which thrives wherever democracy is established. This third edition straddles the globe, from the USA to Japan. It examines the lobbying scenes in the USA and Brussels. It also deals with Asia, the Gulf and the Middle East. It explains all aspects of lobbying in an expert yet accessible manner.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA deeply moving testimony to resistance, this unique collection is the first to showcase art and writing from the womenâs protests in Iran.Trade ReviewThe expressions of dissent and art from the women’s protests in Iran – in pictures Mahsa Amini died after being arrested by Iran’s morality police on 16 September 2022, sparking protests across the country, and an eruption in creative resistance followed. Woman, Life, Freedom, a book edited by Malu Halasa, documents the people and art of the struggle and is published by Saqi Books -- Sarah Gilbert * The Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow insurgencies—enabled by digital devices and a vast information sphere—have mobilized millions of ordinary people around the world. In the words of economist and scholar Arnold Kling, Martin Gurri saw it coming. Technology has categorically reversed the information balance of power between the public and the elites who manage the great hierarchical institutions of the industrial age: government, political parties, the media. The Revolt of the Public tells the story of how insurgencies, enabled by digital devices and a vast information sphere, have mobilized millions of ordinary people around the world. Originally published in 2014, The Revolt of the Public is now available in an updated edition, which includes an extensive analysis of Donald Trump’s improbable rise to the presidency and the electoral triumphs of Brexit. The book concludes with a speculative look forward, pondering whether the current elite class can bring about a reformation of the democratic process and whether new organizing principles, adapted to a digital world, can arise out of the present political turbulence.Trade Review“All over the world, elite institutions from governments to media to academia are losing their authority and monopoly control of information to dynamic amateurs and the broader public. This book, until now only in samizdat (and Kindle) form, has been my No. 1 handout for the last several years to anyone seeking to understand this unfolding shift in power from hierarchies to networks in the age of the internet.” —Marc Andreessen, cofounder, Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz “We are in an open war between publics with passionate and untutored interests and elites who believe they have the right to guide those publics. Gurri asks the essential question: Can liberal representative democracy survive the rise of the public?” —Roger Berkowitz, founder and academic director of the Hannah Arendt Center, professor of politics and human rights at Bard CollegeTable of ContentsPRELUDE TO A TURBULENT AGEHODER AND WAEL GHONIMMY THESISWHAT THE PUBLIC IS NOTPHASE CHANGE 2011A CRISIS OF AUTHORITYTHE FAILURE OF GOVERNMENTNIHILISM AND DEMOCRACYCHOICES AND SYSTEMSFINALE FOR SKEPTICSRECONSIDERATIONS: TRUMP, BREXIT, AND FAREWELL TO ALL THAT

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A fascinating, passionate and political case for art's world-changing power, by a fizzingly good writer' - Robert Macfarlane'A rich and broad overview of socially purposeful art. Everyone interested in social change should read it' - Brian EnoIn Acts of Resistance, Amber Massie-Blomfield writes about the artists who have treated the protest site as their canvas and contributed to movements that have transformed history - from the musicians in Auschwitz to the four-year Siege of Sarajevo, from the to ACT UP's 1989 invasion of the New York Stock Exchange, to the Niger Delta and indigenous communities in Bolivia.Including stories and artists from across the globe, including Susan Sontag, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and Claude Cahun - alongside collectives, communities, amateurs and anonymous creators who have used their art as an expression of resistance - this fascinating book asks what is the purpose of art in

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn February 21st 2012, five members of an obscure feminist post-punk collective called Pussy Riot staged a performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Dressed in their trademark brightly coloured dresses and balaclavas, the women performed their song 'Punk Prayer - Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!' in front of the altar. The performance lasted only 40 seconds but it resulted in two-year prison sentences for three of the performers - and has turned Pussy Riot into one of the most well-known and important protest movements of the last five years. This necessary and timely book is an account of the Pussy Riot protest, the ensuing global support movement, and the tangled and controversial trial of the band members. It explores the status of dissent in Russia, the roots of the group and their adoption - or appropriation - by wider collectives, feminist groups and music icons. Masha Gessen has unique access to the band and those closest to them. Her unrivalled understanding of the Russian protest movement makes her the ideal writer to document and explain the rage, the beauty and the phenomenon that is Pussy Riot.Trade ReviewLively and sympathetic... A vivid account of the three women's arrest and then the harrowing absurdity of their trial that summer... Keenly observed and often moving -- Tony Wood * Guardian *Powerful... This is scrupulous and sensitive journalism -- AD Miller * Daily Telegraph **** *Immensely readable... It brilliantly traces the evolution of Pussy Riot -- Angus Roxburgh * Mail on Sunday ***** *Gessen's sharp pen draws a caustic picture of the show trials in the summer of 2012 [and] prison correspondence provides a vivid picture of the continuing awfulness of the Russian penal system... Valuable * Economist *Powerful... this is a hotly anticipated book by one of Russia's most influential opposition journalists. It's a pacy telling of what is an extraordinary story -- Carole Cadwalladr * Observer *A fine, full, deeply sympathetic portrait of a particular kind of courage, a punk dissidence that is at once frail and mighty -- John Lloyd * Financial Times *A powerful indictment of the return to Soviet-era tactics to silence dissent... Enlightening [and] poignant -- Lucy Popescu * Tablet *Thorough... Much here will be new to the reader. All of it is infuriating * New York Times *[It] is written in a dry, raised-eyebrow deadpan, which allows post-Soviet repression to indict itself and adeptly captures the bluster and headiness of activist idealism.... Moving * LA Times *[An] angry, clear and intimate look at the women behind Pussy Riot. Gessen's portraits are touching and a little sad -- Ben Judah * Sunday Times *Gessen pulls together a psychological portrait of the three ring-leaders -- Arifa Akbar * Independent *Gripping... a lucid account of the history of the group and their aims -- Andrzej Lukowski * Metro *Gessen's clinical and thorough depiction of Pussy Riot is as personal as it is political -- Una Mullally * Irish Times *Vividly told -- Maria Alekhina * Sunday Herald *You really need to read this in-depth look at what it means be young, fearless and angry in the new Russia * Twin Factory *A solid piece of journalism... It reveals [Pussy Riot] as clever, funny, brave and idealistic. And it reveals Russia as a country still held back by a giant anchor dug into its Soviet past -- Giles Whittel * The Times *Gessen makes a forceful case for Pussy Riot... As a Russian-American steeped in the same ideas that inspired Pussy Riot, [she] is a useful guide -- Daniel Trilling * New Statesman *[This] offers an engaging and thoughtful exegesis of the events and personalities behind Pussy Riot. It is a lively addition to the canon of Russian prison literature. Gessen presents a scathing portrait of Putin-era judicial system -- Fernanda Eberstadt * TLS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnalysing the movement''s deep-seated origins in questions that the country has sought too long to ignore, some of the greatest economic minds - from Paul Krugman, Robin Wells, Michael Lewis, Robert Reich, Amy Goodman, Barbara Ehrenreich, Scott Turow, Bethany McLean, Brandon Adams, Tyler Cowen to prominent labour leaders and young, cutting-edge economists and financial writers whose work is not yet widely known - THE OCCUPY HANDBOOK captures the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon in all its ragged glory, giving readers an on-the-scene feel for the movement as it unfolds while exploring the heady growth of the protests, considering the lasting changes wrought and recommending reform. A handbook to the occupation, THE OCCUPY HANDBOOK is a talked-about source for understanding why 1% of the people in America take almost a quarter of the nation''s income and the long-term effects of a protest movement that even the objects of its attack can find little fault with.Trade Review'This fascinating collection explains why and how income and wealth inequalities have rightly climbed to the top of the policy agenda in so many countries. With multiple perspectives from both experts and activists, The Occupy Handbook contains valuable insights on the historical context, the formation of the popular movements, their impact, and what the future may hold. I suspect it won't be long before this handbook is viewed as the reference guide for understanding how an unstructured gathering of people in Zuccotti Park ended up providing the catalyst redefining policy imperatives around the world.' - CEO of PIMCO and author of When Markets Collide Mohamed A. El-ErianMore than a scrapbook of the recent Occupy Wall Street movement, The Occupy Handbook, a compilation by our best journalists, thinkers and economists, puts the story of America's revolt against inequality in welcome historical perspective. From the barricades of 1848, to the barrios of modern Chile, to the improbable campgrounds thrown together in the shadows of New York skyscrapers, the Handbook examines the budding question of whether democracy can foster a more equal, and also a more prosperous, society. Insightful pieces by Gillian Tett, John Cassidy, Bethany McLean and many more prepare you to think about the next outbreak of outrage and activism-which is only a matter of time. - Roger Lowenstein - author of The End of Wall Street and When Genius FailedWhen future historians ponder why the Great Recession failed to spark a populist revolt like those of the 1890s or 1930s, they'll find a wealth of insights in this remarkable volume. - Sylvia Nasar - author of Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius and A Beautiful MindThis fascinating collection explains why and how income and wealth inequalities have rightly climbed to the top of the policy agenda in so many countries. With multiple perspectives from both experts and activists, The Occupy Handbook contains valuable insights on the historical context, the formation of the popular movements, their impact, and what the future may hold. I suspect it won't be long before this handbook is viewed as the reference guide for understanding how an unstructured gathering of people in Zuccotti Park ended up providing the catalyst redefining policy imperatives around the world. - Mohamed A. El-Erian - CEO of PIMCO and author of When Markets Collide

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis work captures the dynamism of the West-African student movement in Britain, and the struggle to articulate a coherent, anti-colonial politics. It documents the achievements of the student movement in overcoming racism and the "colour bar".Table of ContentsPioneers of student politics and the struggle for self-reliance; West-African student organizations in Britain 1923-1930; search for a black united front 1930-1939; the war years 1939-1945; Africanization and radicalization - Cold-War responses 1945-1949; the 1950s - communism and nationalism.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PROTEST AND ACTIVISM IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALANDTrade Review'This book is a valuable koha to those who missed class or were born away from the roots of knowledge. It is a fresh taonga for the bookshelf, and necessary for anyone who tells you how perfect New Zealand is' - Jessica Thompson Carr, Landfall Review Online; 'From a strong pool of contenders, one book stood above the others, not only achieving excellence in writing, illustration and design, but also – crucially – tackling a vast and significant topic worthy of these urgent times'; ‘Readers are drawn into Aotearoa’s rich and raw stories from contact to now. Engaging, insightful and incredibly well-researched texts by multiple authors provide a cohesive and strong overall narrative, covering a huge breadth of our history and the themes that define us as a nation' - Ockham judges' comments;Table of Contents06 Preface 10 Protest, remember and survive 18 Collisions 48 War 98 Anti-nuclear protest 126 Mana motuhake 166 Apartheid 212 Women & Protest 250 LGBTQI+ protest 270 Civil rights 314 Class & economic protest 354 Environment 398 Acknowledgements 400 Notes 404 Select bibliography 406 About the contributors 408 Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA seminal work on the power of nonviolent action, this classic book outlines, in a systematic way, the elements involved in successfully opposing military dictatorships by passive means. This work shows how nonviolent action grows from the fact that all governments depend on the cooperation, or at least the general compliance, of the people they govern and in particular on the loyalty of key institutions. From there, it discusses how, if a governments base of support in society is eroded, it becomes increasingly difficult for it to govern, to the point where it can no longer rely on these crucial institutions of administration, persuasion, and coercion. This edition also considers historical evidence, insists on the importance of advance planning and preparation, and identifies key factors to be taken into account in devising sound strategies and tactics. Tactics and strategies that may be adapted for various circumstances are also included.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDescribing a range of protest activities preceding and surrounding the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, Games of Discontent shines light on the world during a politically transformative time when discontents were able, for the first time, to globalize their protests.Trade Review"Thoroughly enjoyable and well-researched, this book provides wonderful insight into the full gamut of contentious politics surrounding the 1968 Olympics Games. Blutstein's account is filled with colour and verisimilitude, drawing together forms of resistance and protest from the anti-Apartheid movement to the black power salute, and from Czechoslovak opposition to the '68 Soviet invasion to the Tlatelolco massacre. Games of Discontent is well worth a read." Peter Gardner, University of York"Games of Discontent is a fresh and very accessible account of the 1968 Olympics, in all their complexity. Harry Blutstein appraises the interplay between acts of athlete dissent at the Olympic Games and protest movements outside the sports arena. In doing so, he uses a global lens to pinpoint the political and historical forces that helped detonate the explosion of athlete-activism at the 1968 Games. This unflinching analysis of the extended 1968 moment – a key historical conjuncture of politics and sports – helps us understand how sport can be a vital site for political resistance." Jules Boykoff, Pacific University and author of NOlympians: Inside the Fight against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Beyond"Games of Discontent enriches and enhances our understanding of the Olympic games in Mexico City. [Blutstein] captures the revolutionary mood of the era. He also reinforces the political significance and symbolism of sport, provides further evidence of the IOC's inability to match its moral rhetoric with moral action, and offers more examples of the lamentable words and deeds of its deplorable president, Avery Brundage." Doug Booth, Jane Austen Society for Sports History

Read more less

Book SynopsisFive years of lies and hypocrisy. Four activists holding power to account. One book showing how they did it and why they're not done yet. 'Not funny' Liz Truss Led by Donkeys are diametrically opposed to our client's aims' Lawyers for Nigel Farage There to embarrass us' Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng Hard left organisation' GB News Led By Donkeys are political artists and activists. This book is an adrenalized journey through five years of resistance against the ineptitudes, corruption and greed committed by those in power in Britain. Their works include: * Rebranding disgraced Tory peer Michelle Mone's yacht as the Pandemic Profiteer' * Painting the road outside the Russian embassy, Ukrainian blue and yellow * Creating the iconic National Covid Memorial Wall in London * Exposing politicians' hypocrisies by printing their tweets and comments on billboards * Projecting public sentiment on to the Palace of Westminster, the cliffs of Dover and more The book tracks the ma

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince the first wave of uprisings in 2011, the euphoria of the Arab Spring has given way to the gloom of backlash and a descent into mayhem and war. The revolution has been overwhelmed by clashes between rival counter-revolutionary forces: resilient old regimes on the one hand and Islamic fundamentalist contenders on the other.In this eagerly awaited book, foremost Middle East and international affairs specialist Gilbert Achcar analyzes the factors of the regional relapse. Focusing on Syria and Egypt, Achcar assesses the present stage of the uprising and the main obstacles, both regional and international, that prevent any resolution. In Syria, the regime''s brutality has fostered the rise of jihadist forces, among which the so-called Islamic State emerged as the most ruthless and powerful. In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood''s year in power was ultimately terminated by the contradictory conjunction of a second revolutionary wave and a bloody reactionary coup. Events in Syria and Egypt oTrade Review'One of the best analysts of the contemporary Arab world' Le Monde; 'Morbid Symptoms is a sobering yet generous account of the Arab people's fight for true liberation and the lessons that have been learned from that struggle.' Jacobin Magazine; 'Morbid Symptoms' skilfully explains the mutation of the 'Arab Spring' - though Achcar prefers the term 'uprising' - into an 'Arab Winter'.' Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online; `Morbid Symptoms is a masterfully written and challenging analysis of paramount importance' Studies of Transition States and SocietiesTable of ContentsForeword ixAcknowledgements xiIntroduction: Of Revolutionary Cycles and Seasons 1"Democratic Transition" and Revolutionary Process 2One Revolution, Two Counter-Revolutions 8Syria: The Clash of Barbarisms 15The Abandonment of the Syrian People 17The Making of the Syrian Disaster 27The Assad Regime's Preferred Enemy 36Turkey's and the Gulf Monarchies' Preferred Friends 42The Syrian Predicament 48Russian Intervention and Western Wavering 54Whither Syria? 61Egypt: The "23 July" of Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi 65How the Muslim Brotherhood's Bid for Power Unfolded 67Neither Lion Nor Fox 71Incensing the Country 78Enter Tamarrod 85Nasserist Illusions 95The Military's Second Hijacking of the People's Will 101The Ruthless Rise of Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi 108The Tailoring of Sisi's Presidential Suit 115The Farcical Aspect of Egypt's Tragedy 121Neoliberal Constancy 124Megalomania and Megaprojects 133The Military's Takeover of Egypt 140Whither Egypt? 146Conclusion: "Arab Winter" And Hope 151Libya and Yemen: Two Variations on the Same Tune 151The Tunisian "Model" and Its Limits 157The Arab Left and the Strategic Challenge 165Notes 173References and Sources 205Index 221

Read more less

Book SynopsisCrowds and Party channels the energies of the riotous crowds who took to the streets in the past five years into an argument for the political party. Rejecting the emphasis on individuals and multitudes, Jodi Dean argues that we need to rethink the collective subject of politics. When crowds appear in spaces unauthorized by capital and the state-such as in the Occupy movement in New York, London and across the world-they create a gap of possibility. But too many on the Left remain stuck in this beautiful moment of promise-they argue for more of the same, further fragmenting issues and identities, rehearsing the last thirty years of left-wing defeat. In Crowds and Party, Dean argues that previous discussions of the party have missed its affective dimensions, the way it operates as a knot of unconscious processes and binds people together. Dean shows how we can see the party as an organization that can reinvigorate political practice.Trade ReviewIn this enthralling and exhilarating book, Jodi Dean shows that, contrary to neo-anarchist cliche, the party form and class struggle are very far from being outmoded. The revival of the party has produced a surge of enthusiasm in contemporary left politics-an enthusiasm that Crowds and Party both explains and stokes up. -- Mark Fisher, author of Capitalist RealismJodi Dean's new book isn't just a timely reminder that to change our thoroughly and deliberately atomized society demands collective action and militant organization; it is also a passionate analysis of the fractured passion of shared political commitment, linking the enthusiasm of group experience with the sustained and steady discipline of popular empowerment. -- Peter Hallward, author of Damming the FloodWritten clearly, forcefully, and passionately, Dean gives us-the Left-not just a diagnosis of our defeat but, more importantly, a way out: the communist Party. -- Derek R. Ford * The Hampton Institute *Dean has a powerful point to make: political movements have to move beyond immediate expression-the crowd-and embrace long-term organization-the party. -- Matt Ray * Open Letters Monthly *Jodi Dean's book rejects those who invest positively in the individual or the multiple per se and instead asks for a new and more subversive collective subject of politics. From real crowds like the Occupy Movement to the theoretical conceptions of crowds and mobs, Dean's book interrogates the role of the crowd and the party in an attempt to provide a way forward politically. -- Alfie Bown * Hong Kong Review of Books *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book examines, through an interdisciplinary lens, the relationship between political dissent and processes of designing.In the past twenty years, theorists of social movements have noted a diversity of visual and performative manifestations taking place in protest, while the fields of design, broadly defined, have been characterized by a growing interest in activism. The book's premise stems from the recognition that material engagement and artifacts have the capacity to articulate political arguments or establish positions of disagreement. Its contributors look at a wide array of material practices generated by both professional and nonprofessional design actors around the globe, exploring case studies that vary from street protests and encampments to design pedagogy and community-empowerment projects.For students and scholars of design studies, urbanism, visual culture, politics, and social movements, this book opens up new perspectives on design and its place iTrade Review"... lively and timely... the volume is a welcome addition to the growing literature on design and politics. It will interest researchers and teachers of design as well as social life, while also being accessible, at least in part, to a more practice-oriented readership."--Design and Culture"Design and Political Dissent is a far-reaching and ambitious book not only in its intellectual and geographical scope, but also in its diversity of topics and formats."--Journal of Design HistoryTable of Contents1. Introduction Jilly TraganouSECTION 1: SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AS DESIGN AGENTSPart 1: Visuals and Objects of Protest2. The Green Stripe: The Color of IdentificationVictoria Hattam3. Strategies of Creative Dissent under the People’s Republic of China’s ‘One China Policy’Wendy Wong4. The Slovene Zombie UprisingKsenija Berk5. The Distribution of Abilities: Disability, Dissent, and Design Activism by the Gothenburg Cooperative for Independent LivingOtto Von Busch and Hanna af EkströmPart 2: Artifacts in the Afterlife of Protest6. Art of the March: Archiving Aesthetics of the Women’s March—Interviews with Alessandra Renzi, Dietmar Offenhuber, Siqi Zhu, Christopher Pietsch, and Navarjun SinghGrace Van Ness and Prakash Krishnan7. Dissent, Design of Territory, and Design of Memory: The Museum of Slavery and Freedom at the Valongo Wharf, Rio de JaneiroBarbara Szaniecki and Ana Helena da Fonseca8. Beautiful Trouble: A Pattern Language of Creative Resistance—An Interview with Nadine BlochEvren UzerResponse to Section 19. Response to Section 1. The Objects of Political CreativityJames JasperSECTION 2: DISSENTING THROUGH MATERIAL ENGAGEMENT Part 1: Political Contention by Design10. Vulnerable Critical Makings: Migrant Smuggling by Boats and Border TransgressionMahmoud Κeshavarz11. The Madrid Hologram Protest and the Democratic Potential of VisualityKsenija Berk12. Data Acquisition, Data Analytics, and Data Articulations: DIY Accountability Tools and Resistance in Indonesia—An Interview with Irendira Radjawali of Drone Academy, IndonesiaAlessandra Renzi13. Politics of Design Activism—From Impure Politics to ParapoliticsThomas MarkussenPart 2: Spaces of Contestation and Prefiguration14. The Agonistic Design of Conflict KitchenVeronica Uribe15. Events and Ecologies of Design and Urban Activism: From Downtown São Paulo to the PeripheriesKristine Samson16. Temporarily Open: A Brazilian Design School’s Experimental Approaches against the Dismantling of Public Education: A Conversation on Design Pedagogy as Dissent.Zoy Anastassakis, Marcos Martins, Lucas Nonno, Juliana Paolucci, and Jilly Traganou17. Designing Post-carbon Futures: The Prefigurative Politics of the Transition MovementEmily Hardt18. Occupied Theater Embros: Designing and Maintaining the Commons in Athens under Crisis—An Interview with Eleni TzirtzilakiOrsalia DimitriouResponse to Section 219. Response to Section 2. Designing while Dissenting while Dissenting while Designing: A Response in CounterpointZoy Anastassakis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDonald Trump’s campaign and presidency represented a radical departure from political norms that are often classified by media and researchers as ‘populist’. Instead, this book theorizes Trump’s campaign and presidency with reference to Mikhail Bakhtin’s "carnival" – a medieval festival of transgression, ridicule, and renewal. In this book, Lisa Gaufman and Bharath Ganesh provide a closer insight into the Trump Carnival, developing interdisciplinary perspectives on populism, misogyny, misinformation, and far-right vernacular culture. Building on the idea of the carnivalesque, this book focuses on the laughing culture of the Trump campaigns and presidency that vilified minorities, disparaged women, and ultimately emboldened the far right. Bringing Bakhtin into dialogue with key developments in contemporary politics, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Trump phenomenon, American politics, and populism.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA call to action from Jane Fonda, one of the most inspiring activists of our time, urging us to wake up to the looming disaster of climate change and equipping us with the tools we need to join her in protest This is the last possible moment in history when changing course can mean saving lives and species on an unimaginable scale. It''s too late for moderation.Our climate is in a crisis. 2019 saw atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases hit the highest level ever recorded in human history, and our window of opportunity to avoid disaster is quickly closing.In the autumn of 2019, frustrated with the inaction of politicians, Jane Fonda moved to Washington, D.C. to lead weekly climate change demonstrations dubbed Fire Drill Fridays on Capitol Hill. There, she led thousands of people in non-violent civil disobedience, risking arrest to protest for action.In What Can I Do?, Fonda's deeply personal journey as an activist is weaved alongside interviews with leading climate scientists,Trade Review‘In this straightforward, multi-seamed call-to-action, Jane uses her voice and profile to detail the damage fossil fuels are causing and how changes to the climate affect people’s daily lives’ Waitrose Weekend ‘Thought-provoking gift… may just inspire you’ Woman & Home ‘Inspiring’ Woman’s Weekly Fiction Monthly

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe death of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests have made clear to everyone the vicious reality of racism that persists today. Many of those privileged enough to be distanced from racism are now having to come to terms with the fact that they continue to prosper at the detriment of others. Having spent the last four years researching, writing, and speaking about the benefits of diversity for society, June Sarpong is no stranger to educating and challenging those that have been enjoying the benefits of a system steeped in systemic racism without realising its true cost.In The Power of Privilege, June will empower those fortunate enough not to be otherised' by mainstream Western society to become effective allies against racism, both by understanding the roots of their privilege and the systemic societal inequities that perpetuates it. The Power of Privilege offers practical steps and action-driven solutions so that those who have been afforded privilege can begin unTrade Review‘A smart and digestible manual on how white people can challenge racism’. The Observer

Read more less

Book SynopsisDuring the 2008 election season, politicians from both sides of the aisle promised to rid government of lobbyists' undue influence. Based on a comprehensive examination of ninety-eight issues, this title demonstrates that sixty per cent of the lobbying campaigns failed to change policy despite millions of dollars spent trying.Trade Review"This excellent book draws on a creative, original data set that nearly solves one of the great puzzles of political analysis: how to make a systematic assessment of who wields influence in politics. The authors amassed a phenomenal amount of information from interviews and electronic and print sources. Although much of what they find challenges common wisdom in political science, their findings are persuasive." - Kay Schlozman, Boston College"

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis work examines the the social upheavals of the Paris Commune of 1871 and the 1848 Revolution. It argues that whereas the insurgents of 1848 fought and died in defence of their status as workers, those of 1871 did so as members of a besieged urban community.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe "mothers' movement" was not pacifist; its members opposed the war on Germany because they regarded Hitler as an ally against the spread of atheistic communism. This book examines their motivations, the impact of their movement and their collaborations with men of the Far Right.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCriticisms of Mancur Olson's theory of group membership and organizational behavior and discussions of the limits of his formulations are not new, but Terry Moe has set them forth in thoroughgoing fashion, has elaborated and extended them, and has made positive new contributions. The result is a book that is valuable and constructive, one that may well revive interest in the systematic study of political groups.David B. Truman, American Political Science Review The Organization of Interests is a valuable addition to the literature. It reminds us that the interior life of groups has political significance and gives us a conceptual framework for exploring that life. It balances nicely between the pluralistswho tend to interpret interest group behaviour entirely in political termsand Olsonwho has no satisfactory explanation for behaviour that is not attributable to economic self-interest. In the concept of the entrepreneur Moe gives us a useful analytical device which deserves operational

Read more less