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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political activism > General
Belfast, August 1969. A campaign for civil rights in Northern
Ireland (which had begun less than two years previously)
degenerates into intercommunal violence as centuries of mistrust,
animosity, and blatant sectarianism come to a shuddering head. The
three days of August 13th, 14th, and 15th drastically changed the
course of Northern Irish history and also radicalised a generation
of Catholic youths. On the Protestant side, there was similarly
little to predict that their young generation would become
embroiled in the longest period of Irish Troubles to date. The UVF,
dormant since the creation of the state, was revived in 1966, but
it was barely mentioned anywhere outside the Shankill Road; by 1972
it was involved in full conflict. Belfast '69 provides interviews
with individuals from both sides of the conflict, many of whom went
on to join the various 'armies' that sprung up in the wake of the
riots. Many British Army officers who were only passive onlookers
in those early days also offer up their own stories. By analysing
these fascinating personal accounts in the wider context of the
Troubles, alongside other key sources, Belfast '69 seeks to answer
the most pertinent questions about the events of those days. How
were the emerging youth of both sides radicalised by the violence?
How did the events drive an otherwise-indifferent generation to
carry out some of the most heinous crimes in Irish history? And,
most importantly, can today's society learn from the bloody
mistakes of our recent past?
Between 1960 and 1989 in South Africa, more than 130 people were
executed for crimes that had a political motive. Who were they, what
did they do, and why did they do it?
While many people have heard of Solomon Mahlangu, John Harris or even
Vuyisile Mini, the vast majority of executed activists remain very much
unknown, even though they paid the ultimate price for their actions.
This book tells their stories, drawing on the author’s interviews with
fellow activists, the families left behind, lawyers on both sides,
judges who passed sentence, warders on death row, and even
functionaries tasked with informing the condemned of their impending
fate.
In the process, the book sheds light on forgotten aspects of South
African history, such as the actions of the PAC/Poqo in the 1960s,
which resulted in dozens of executions, and people who heeded the ANC’s
call to make the country ungovernable in the 1980s and who were then
disowned by the organisation. The book also makes startling revelations
about miscarriages of justice, defence attorneys working against their
clients, and, sadly, the post-apartheid state’s neglect of those who
suffered as a result of political executions.
In this volume, Alessandro Grazi offers the first intellectual
biography of the Italian Jewish writer and politician David Levi
(1816-1898). In this intriguing journey through the mysterious
rites of Freemasonry and the bizarre worldviews of
Saint-Simonianism, you can discover Levi's innovative
interpretation of Judaism and its role in modernity. As a champion
of dialogue with Catholic intellectuals, Levi's importance
transcends the Jewish world. The second part of the book presents
an unpublished document, Levi's comedy "Il Mistero delle Tre
Melarancie", a phantasmagorical adventure in search of his Jewish
identity, with an English translation of its most relevant excerpt.
'Vanessa Nakate continues to teach a most critical lesson. She
reminds us that while we may all be in the same storm, we are not
all in the same boat.' - Greta Thunberg No matter your age,
location or skin colour, you can be an effective activist.
Devastating flooding, deforestation, extinction and starvation.
These are the issues that not only threaten in the future, they are
a reality. After witnessing some of these issues first-hand,
Vanessa Nakate saw how the world's biggest polluters are asleep at
the wheel, ignoring the Global South where the effects of climate
injustice are most fiercely felt. Inspired by a shared vision of
hope, Vanessa's commanding political voice demands attention for
the biggest issue of our time and, in this rousing manifesto for
change, shows how you can join her to protect our planet now and
for the future. Vanessa realized the importance of her place in the
climate movement after she, the only Black activist in an image
with four white Europeans, was cropped out of a press photograph at
Davos in 2020. This example illustrates how those who will see the
biggest impacts of the climate crisis are repeatedly omitted from
the conversation. As she explains, 'We are on the front line, but
we are not on the front page.' Without A Bigger Picture, you're
missing the full story on climate change. 'An indispensable voice
for our future.' - Malala Yousafzai 'A powerful global voice.' -
Angelina Jolie
Recent years have seen a disturbing advance in populist and
authoritarian styles of rule and, in response, a rise in popular
activism. Strongmen, especially since the advent of fascism, have
formed their base of power in popular acclaim. But what power do
the people have in checking the rise of tyranny? In this book an
international team of experts representing several academic
disciplines examines the power relationship between peoples and
their rulers. It is among the first to study this globally as a
problem of nation states. From populism in 19th-century Latin
America to eastern Europe since the collapse of communism, to the
Arab Spring and contemporary Russia and China, the cases in this
book span five continents and twelve nations. Taken together, they
reveal how different forms of popular opposition have succeeded or
failed in unseating authoritarian regimes and expose the tactics
and strategies used by regimes to repress people power and create
an image of popular support. Analysing the causes and consequence
of the global advance of authoritarianism, The Power of Populism
and the People offers a historical comparison of popular protest,
opposition and crises over the last century to the recent rise of
populist leaders.
We live at a time when the competitive, capitalist model of action
has eclipsed all other contemporary social and economic models and
threatens the greater cooperative good of society. Neoliberalism is
an attempt to reimagine governance in an age of mass democratic
policies by its intention to inoculate capitalism against the
threat of democracy. Education for Action: A Curriculum for Social
Activists sees social action as a vital vehicle in challenging this
intense individualistic, managerial and competitive ethos. Such
action is a collective, transformative response to capitalism which
combines local activism, community development and the advocacy of
social, political and economic rights to help committed citizens
initiate, stimulate and support social change at both local and
global levels. The book explains the methods, instruments, theories
and practices that help educators encourage activists to build
power amongst concerned individuals using a curriculum that
emphasises the importance of critical theory and which is
accessible to everybody and rooted in their community. The author
also stresses the vital role of education in helping activists
resist the ideologies, actions and slogans imposed on society by
authoritarian powerholders while simultaneously regenerating
grass-roots politics and its belief in the viability of collective
solidarity and social activism.
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