Description
Book SynopsisCitizen Lobbyists explores how U.S. citizens participate in local government. Although many commentators have lamented the apathy of the American citizenry, Brian Adams focuses on what makes ordinary Americans become involved in and attempt to influence public policy issues that concern them. It connects theory and empirical data in a new and revealing way, providing both a thorough review of the relevant scholarly discussions and a detailed case study of citizen engagement in the politics of Santa Ana, a mid-sized Southern California city. After interviewing more than fifty residents, Adams found that they can be best described as \u0022lobbyists\u0022 who identify issues of personal importance and then lobby their local government bodies. Through his research, he discovered that public meetings and social networks emerged as essential elements in citizens' efforts to influence local policy. By testing theory against reality, this work fills a void in our understanding of the actual participatory practices of \u0022civically engaged\u0022 citizens.
Trade Review"This book is a valuable contribution to the literature on grassroots politics in American communities... In his focus on the issues that prompt participation and on the nature of the citizen lobbying responses that result, Brian Adams plows new ground in the study of citizen activism. Citizen Lobbyists is a worthwhile read." -Urban Affairs Review
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Part I: Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Citizen Efforts to Influence Local Policy Part II: Participation Across Local Policies Chapter 3: Policy Characteristics and Patterns of Participation Chapter 4: Policy Entrepreneurs and the Opportunity to Participate Chapter 5: Local Newspapers and Participation Chapter 6: Social Conflict and Participation Part III: How Citizens Participate Chapter 7: Participatory Strategies and Tactics: An Overview Chapter 8: Public Meetings and the Democratic Process Chapter 9: The Political Value of Social Networks Part IV: Conclusion Chapter 10: The Practice of Local Democracy Appendix: Policies Discussed by Interview Respondents Notes References Tables and Figures
