In 1996, powerful anti-immigrant forces in New Gingrich's 104th Congress worked hard to pass the most restrictive immigration law in decades. This law changed virtually every aspect of immigration policy, including the rules for political and religious refugees. It is not, however, as harsh a law as the chairmen of the committees wanted. A fascinating case study of the legislative process and the author's experience as a public lobbyist, A Well-Founded Fear tells how a coalition of human rights and refugee organisations fought to preserve the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

Between 1990 and 1993, breast cancer activism became a significant political movement. The issue began to receive extensive media attention, and federal funding for breast cancer research jumped dramatically. Describing the origins of this surge in interest, Maureen Hogan Casamayou attributes it to the emergence of politically potent activism among breast cancer survivors and their supporters. Exploring the creation and development of the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC), she shows how many of its key leaders were mobilized by their own traumatic experiences with the disease and its treatments.

Casamayou details the NBCC's meteoric rise and impressive lobbying efforts, explaining how -- in contrast to grassroots movements founded by dedicated individuals -- the coalition grew from the simultaneous efforts of a network of women who invested their time, energy, money, and professional skills in the fight for increased funding for breast cancer research. This multiple leadership -- or collective entrepreneurialism, says Casamayou -- was crucial to the NBCC's success framing the issue in the minds of the public and policymakers alike.

'A wonderful, inspiring story told with scholarship, passion and wit' - Miriam Margolyes 'A must-read' - Independent on Sunday With an introduction by Dr Helen Pankhurst. An illuminating and riveting exploration of the women's movement in Britain, and the extraordinary women behind it. From the passing of the Marriage and Divorce Act in 1857 to all women attaining the vote in 1928, the struggle for suffrage in the United Kingdom was to be fought using the weapons of intellect, searing rhetoric, and violence in the streets. Ordinary women rose up to defy the roles prescribed by their society to become heroes in the battle for equality. Using anecdotes and accounts by both famous and hitherto lesser-known suffragettes and suffragists, March, Women, March explores how the voices of women came to be heard throughout the land in the pursuit of equal voting rights for all women. Lucinda Hawksley brings the main protagonists of the women's movement to life, sharing diary extracts and letters that show the true voices of these women, while their portrayals in literature and art - as well as the media reports of the day - show just how much of an impact these trailblazers made. 'An accessible and engaging guide to the original women's movement' - Daily Telegraph

The relevance of social participation and intermediary associations for democracy has been at the centre of approaches to democratic politics since the 19th century. More recently the rise of new states in Central and Eastern Europe and contemporary discussions about social conflict, civil society, communitarianism, and social capital have stimulated a revival of the subject. This study explores the changing role and functions of voluntary associations, intermediary organizations and other social movements in democratic societies. The contributors employ macro- and mico-perspectives to examine the relationship between social and political involvement in the democratic process, and use previously unpublished empirical data from countries such as Britain, Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, Norway and Spain. They find the structure of voluntary associations and intermediary organizations throughout these countries has changed significantly and their membership levels and relevance to democratic decision-making have grown pointing to a changing, but not declining, democratic culture in Western Europe.

This volume examines the origins and development of the pressure group, INQUEST, and its struggle for penal reform, against the backdrop of the intense political and social upheaval that characterized the late 1970s and 1980s.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with social problems is getting rid of the cause of the problem, not just finding a remedy for the result. Social Action in Group Work provides a useful overview of the history, philosophy, theory, and practice of social group work and action in the promotion of societal change. It shows practitioners how to use their skills effectively to achieve social change. This helpful book incorporates ideas developed in social movements, identifies their contributions to social group work practice, and illustrates effective practice in case experience with specific examples. It provides a much-needed understanding of the need for and process of social action, along with new ideas for theory building, teaching, and practice in group work. Numerous case examples from a variety of different settings become models that will be extremely useful for social work students, educators, professionals, and those who work directly with groups.This invigorating book is divided into three sections, each with a unique focus, and tied together by overlapping concepts, theories, and models. The first section, Ideas of Social Action, examines the history of social action in group work and proposes an integrated global framework for social work organization, education and practice. Advocacy and Empowerment, the middle section, is replete with case examples. The third section, Principles and Practice, explores the application of social group work in a variety of situations, including inter-ethnic conflict and a group of homeless men and women. Together, the sections make a strong stand for a more sensitive, empowerment oriented practice and for more advocacy by the workerand group. Everyone involved or interested in the process of social change through social action with groups will find Social Action in Group Work a wealth of practical information.

This book traces the history of a campaign that took place over nearly half a century, from the last years of the Victorian era to the new world of post-World War II Britain. It was a campaign that started with the simple aim of spreading the idea of the garden city - a concept dating from the 1890s -, and of encouraging others to build these settlements as a humane response to the slum housing of the industrial cities. Within a few years of the start of the campaign, the first garden city was built at Letchworth. The author records the history of the campaign and sets out to assess the political influence of the Garden City Association as an environmental pressure group. In the 20th century, the association was drawn into wider debates about the role of the State as opposed to the kind of private and voluntary initiatives that had led to the foundation of Letchworth. In this book, the campaign is set in the wider context of the social, political and economic change of the 20th century. The last stages of the campaign saw the introduction of a national programme for new towns in 1946 and the author argues that the campaigners had to accept that these new towns were of a different g

From the 1940s to the 1990s From New Towns to Green Politics charts the course of successive issues and campaigns - from the reconstruction of Britain's war-torn cities, to the introduction of green belts and new towns, to regional and community planning, and so to the inner cities and most recently, green politics.

This first-of-its kind encyclopedia based on original research offers in-depth profiles showing how a broad spectrum of 121 important nongovernmental organizations in the health field work to affect the development of federal legislation and policy. A brief introduction provides a historical context for current action and an analysis of the various types of groups concerned with health. Arranged A to Z, the entries give the latest information about organizations that provide, consume, finance, and research services and products-employers, insurance companies, those in the health industry itself, labor unions, consumer advocates, public policy and medical research organizations, among others. Each profile gives data about the origin and development of the group, its organization and funding, policy concerns and tactics, electoral activity, and sources for further research. This one-volume reference details group positions on all types of federal health policies, national health care reform proposals, and exemplifies the roles that the organizations have played in historical and contemporary reform efforts. A chronology points to major federal health and health-related legislation, and appendices include the questionnaire that was sent to the groups and a directory of the organizations profiled and of additional organizations that are active in health care. An index also makes the volume user-friendly for students, teachers, policymakers, activists, and all concerned with health care issues today.

With the world changing at breakneck speed and workers at the whim of apps, bad bosses and zero-hours contracts, why should we care about unions? Aren't they just for white-haired, middle-aged miners anyway? The government constantly attacks unions, CEOs devote endless time and resources to undermining them, and many unions themselves are stuck in the past. Despite this, inspiring work is happening all the time, from fast food strikes and climate change campaigning to the modernisation of unions for the digital age. Speaking to academics, experts and grassroots organisers from TUC, UNISON, ACORN, IWGB and more, Eve Livingston explores how young workers are organising to demand fair workplaces, and reimagines what an inclusive union movement that represents us all might look like. Working together can change the course of history, and our bosses know that. Yes, you need a union, but your union also needs you!

Power, Policy and Profit investigates the many ways in which corporate actors attempt to influence political activities. Through the intensified globalization of markets, the restructuring of welfare services and the accumulation of private capital, opportunities for corporate influence in politics affairs are shown to have multiplied. Bringing together different fields of global governance studies, this book addresses the rising political influence of corporate actors both nationally and internationally. Corporate influence on policy is now commonplace through lobbying, advocacy and campaign contributions; funding analysis and research; creating or adopting standards for social responsibility and shaping transparency guidelines. Key chapters show how corporations can now have leverage in broad political affairs: an activity central to the organization of markets. Power, Policy and Profit will be of great interest to students and academics of business and management, politics and governance studies. Policy professionals will find this a timely read on the complexities of corporate engagement in politics and governance. Contributors include: F. Aggeri, E. Boxenbaum, J.-Y. Caneill, M. Cartel, M.L. Djelic, H. Dumez, M. Flyverbom, C. Garsten, A. Jeunemaitre, A. Nyqvist, M. Perezts, X. Philippe, S. Picard, B. Rothstein, A. Soerbom, V. Steyer, R. Thedvall, A. Tyllstroem, D.A. Westbrook

A timely exploration of the political history, growth, and impact of one of the most powerful religious groups in America. Internet pornography. School prayer. Gay days at Walt Disney World. The War on Iraq. These are among the hot-button issues for the burgeoning coalition of Conservative Christians in America-a group so influential that many believe the fortunes of the Republican and Democratic parties rest on their political views. How have they coalesced into such a formidable force? Conservative Christians and Political Participation examines the involvement and influence of the growing number of Conservative Christians in America. colonial times to today sets the stage for a deeper exploration into the demographics of this group, the concerns they share, and the creative methods they employ to achieve their goals through protests, political activity, leadership, and group organization. Case studies tackle highly emotional issues like same-sex marriage, decency in the mass media, school prayer, euthanasia, and American foreign policy toward Israel. The book also covers leaders such as Pat Buchanan and Ralph Reed, and discusses how they have been effective in their lobbying efforts through organizations like the Christian Action Network and the American Family Association.

This book examines the federal judiciary in light of political science research on the role of interests and interest groups in the making of public policy. The author finds that efforts of federal judges to shape court administration are guided, in part, by self-interest which consequently affects the development and results of judicial policies. He argues that we must recognize judges as self-interested political actors whose motivation and behavior patterns are comparable to other political and administrative actors. By examining the actions of federal judges on a series of illustrative issues--civil justice reform, judicial salaries, habeas corpus reform, and judicial bureaucratization--the book illuminates the ways in which the judges' self-interested actions affect the courts and society. Judicial self-interest is not portrayed here as bad or even unexpected, but as a motivational factor of significance for government, law, and society that should be recognized and harnessed appropriately.

Drawing from the field of political sociology, geography, anthropology, and peace studies, Routledge explores how peasant communities in rural India form effective resistance movements against displacement, dislocation, and cultural destruction engendered by the development process. He shows how the Baloapal movement--resisting a missile base--and the Chipko movement--resisting a program of deforestation--offer rich lessons in development strategies, nonviolent sanctions, and grassroots social change. The sanctions chosen by the movements are shown to be of particular importance and to have emerged from the participants' profound sense of place. Core beliefs, traditional values, and common goals are summoned to inspire beleaguered communities and are employed to resist outside domination and despoliation. Terrains of Resistance, accordingly, marks sites of conflict in specific times and places at the essential levels of belief and culture. They juxtapose the state's coercive power in support of development against the ingenuity and tenacity of grassroots movements. A highly informed, well written work showing the potential for nonviolent sanctions throughout the developing world, and the possible implications of continued grassroots mobilizations. This book will be of particular interest to students of social movements and Indian politics and to political scientists, sociologists, geographers, and anthropologists.

What explains differences in the lobbying behaviour of interest groups? And what consequences do these differences have for the access that interest groups can gain to decision-makers and the influence that they can exert on policy outcomes? Building on an unprecedented amount of empirical evidence on lobbying in Europe, this book puts forward a distinction between lobbying insiders and lobbying outsiders. Lobbying insiders, most prominently business interests, try to establish direct contacts with decision-makers, enjoy good access to executive institutions, and manage to shape policy outcomes when mobilizing the public on an issue is difficult. Lobbying outsiders, in particular citizen groups such as consumer, environmental or health non-governmental organizations, put greater emphasis on mobilizing the public or changing public attitudes, find it easier to gain access to legislative decision-makers, and have the greatest impact on outcomes on issues that are amenable to an outside lobbying campaign. The book shows that a single argument, building on group type as the main variable, can explain variation across interest groups in their choice of strategy, their access to decision-makers, and the conditions under which they can exert influence. The existence of lobbying insiders and lobbying outsiders has important implications for both our understanding of political decision-making and the normative appraisal of contemporary democracy.

An urgent, provocative collection of essays from Latinx thought leaders heralding a more inclusive vision of America's future Latinx people make up the second-largest ethnic and racial group in America, with a population of over sixty million. They have been integral to shaping the country's economy, culture, and politics, and their influence and power continue to grow at all levels of civic life. Yet their diversity remains misunderstood, their contributions ignored, their concerns overlooked. If We Want to Win brings together twenty leading figures involved in issues that affect the Latinx community, to lay out a vision for the future of American democracy, drawing on their experience and expertise in areas ranging from the arts, juvenile justice, women's rights, and education, to environmental justice, racism, human rights, immigration, technology, and philanthropy. Each contributor tells his or her own story alongside stories of the resilience and hope they have encountered over the course of their careers, debunking the stereotyping and scapegoating that continue to plague the Latinx community and seeking a more accurate portrayal of themselves and their communities. While questioning what it means to be Latinx and what it means to be American in the twenty-first century, this inspiring, visionary collection offers a blueprint for moving the United States toward a more inclusive and just democracy.

This compilation of 29 country studies could not be more timely. Recent student unrest in El Salvador, Czechoslovakia, and West Germany, a national student forum held in Moscow, and China's Tiananmen Square student tragedy all suggest a worldwide upsurge in students' efforts to participate in political life. . . . Each chapter presents historical analyses of key events, with emphasis on the past three decades. . . . Altbach has assembled a strong international team in a landmark work. "Choice"

Providing a global perspective on student political activism in 29 countries, this reference work features in-depth essays by specialists who bring multidisciplinary insights to student movements, programs, and motivations and to the historical, political, social, and educational contexts in which these movements exist. Altbach defines student political activism and outlines the rationale behind this important collection of essays--why student political activism should be studied and who can benefit most from knowledge of this historically important force. He elaborates on how an understanding of the workings of student politics can benefit political leaders, members of the academic community, and the activists themselves. The historical role played by student political movements in the development of nationalism in Germany and in colonial nations in Asia and Africa is described, and the powerful university reform movements of Latin America are reviewed. Student activism is revealed to be a significant, perennial, and accepted factor in many Third World political arenas. However, in most parts of the world, student movements as a political force, whether right-wing, left-wing, liberal, or radical are characteristically sporadic but often very influential phenomena. The impossibility of a permanent revolution in the university is explained as are the sociological factors that tend to undermine sustained student movements. The impact and longevity of student movements depend to a certain extent, on the responses to activism by the mass media, by key social groups outside the universities, by the university authorities themselves, and by other extra-campus entities such as governments, and these factors are thoroughly investigated. Who Are the Activists considers activist leadership in a comparative context using available sociological research data to present a fascinating portrait of the students--their numbers, political and ideological characteristics, their major areas of study, and the socioeconomic backgrounds of their families of origin.

United States student political activism is addressed in three separate chapters that cover the period from 1905 to 1960, the volatile 1960s, and the post-sixties, an era of transformation. Twenty-nine other essays survey activism in major countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Canada. An important reference tool and the first compilation on the topic in a decade, "Student Political Activism" will be extremely useful to specialists in international relations, political science, comparative education, and higher education as well as to students, college and university administrators, and librarians.

Nonviolent action, well planned and implemented, is shown in this lucid, timely, and compelling work to effect dramatic outcomes against opponents utilizing violence. Ackerman and Kruegler recognize that not all nonviolent efforts meet with success, and they are careful to stress that a nonviolent approach involves great risks as well as opportunities. It is the effectiveness of the strategies employed which will determine whether or not those using nonviolent means can prevail against opponents who rely on violence in pursuit of objectives. Twelve strategic principles are established in this book which serve as a conceptual foundation to enhance the prospects of success in nonviolent campaigns. The authors also develop six twentieth-century examples of nonviolent action from the early Russian Revolution of 1904-1906 through the Solidarity movement in 1980-1981. Each campaign narrative constitutes a fascinating reading experience and illustrates common themes, strategies, and important aspects of behavior on the part of major participants in nonviolent encounters. This is a singularly important book. It offers more than a mere plea for nonviolence. Ackerman and Kruegler introduce their work by noting the surprising extent to which nonviolent sanctions are currently employed to pressure adversaries in the international political arena. They go onto provide hard lessons based on important, and often painful, historical efforts; principles to govern the choice and implementation of strategies when nonviolent action is the determined response; and insightful analysis to guide assessment and policy. A work which will focus analysis, inform decision-making, stimulate policy consideration, andinvigorate research, this volume will well serve professionals and students in international relations and numerous related fields.

This book, which takes the form of a graphic novel, looks at political activism in the public landscape. It has a particular focus on the UK activist group Led by Donkeys which has, since late 2018, been running a campaign to expose hypocrisy in the political classes. Their approach to activism involves the use of large posters and other forms of public display, which highlight the gap between the rhetoric and actions of politicians, and how language and communication is used to manipulate opinion. The activism discussed in the book includes four major issues: Brexit, Trump, Covid and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The book is both an innovative visual approach to the presentation of academic research and thought, and an exploration of how the linguistic landscape can be a key resource for the communication of political activism.

The 1963 Children's March in Birmingham, Alabama. Tiananmen Square, 1989. The 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests. March for Our Lives, and School Strike for Climate. What do all these social justice movements have in common? They were led by passionate, informed, engaged young people. Jamie Margolin has been organizing and protesting since she was fourteen years old. Now the co-leader of a global climate action movement, she knows better than most how powerful a young person can be. You don't have to be able to vote or hold positions of power to change the world. In Youth to Power, Jamie presents the essential guide to changemaking, with advice on writing and pitching op-eds, organizing successful events and peaceful protests, time management as a student activist, utilizing social media and traditional media to spread a message, and sustaining long-term action. She features interviews with prominent young activists including Tokata Iron Eyes of the #NoDAPL movement and Nupol Kiazolu of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, who give guidance on handling backlash, keeping your mental health a priority, and how to avoid getting taken advantage of. Jamie walks readers through every step of what effective, healthy, intersectional activism looks like. Young people have a lot to say. Youth to Power gives you the tools to raise your voice.

Lobbying has long been part of the political landscape. But in recent years links between big business and government have become stronger and more far-reaching than ever. Global corporations now demand control over decisions affecting labour laws, finance, public health, food and agriculture, safety regulations, taxes and international trade and investment. They even claim the right to private tribunals where they can sue governments for passing laws that could harm their present or future profits. These business elites don't want to govern directly. They operate behind the scenes - directing planning, setting standards and fashioning government to maximise their own profits. Thanks to the UN Global Compact they have extended their influence to the highest levels of multilateral decision-making and now, via the Davos-inspired Global Redesign Initiative, they are setting their sights on managing world-wide public policy. Elected by and accountable to no one, secretive and highly organized, these shadow sovereigns are destroying the very notion of the common good and making a mockery of democracy. It is high time we challenged this assault on our rights and our institutions. In this incisive and clear-sighted book Susan George provides us with the practical knowledge to do just that.

'A tour de force' - Dalia Gebrial Antiracist movements are more mainstream than ever before. Liberal democracies boast of their policies designed to stamp out racism in all walks of life. Why then is racism still ever-present in our society? This is not an accident, but by design. Capitalism is structured by racism and has relentlessly attacked powerful movements. Race to the Bottom traces our current crisis back decades, to the fragmentation of Britain's Black Power movements and their absorption into NGOs and the Labour Party. The authors call for recovering radical histories of antiracist struggle, championing modern activism and infusing them with the urgency of our times: replacing anxieties over 'unconscious bias' and rival claims for 'representation' with the struggle for a new, socialist, multi-racial organising from below.

Local Business Voice provides the first scholarly and systematic history of the Chambers of Commerce from early historical origins in the eighteenth century up to the present date. Based on new archival information, it provides exhaustive coverage of all UK and Irish chambers, as well as detailed examination of early Chambers in the U.S., including New York, Charleston, and Boston, and early Chambers in Quebec and Jamaica. The book traces the importance of early tax protests and anger as motivating forces through interrelation with the American Revolution. It traces the emergence of service bundles, such commercial arbitration, coffee and reading rooms, and information and consultancy services as critical to the Chambers' unique market position. Some of the services had a unique status as trust goods, exploiting the chambers' USP as high status mutual non-profit organisations. It demonstrates the challenges for the Chambers as independent voluntary bodies in increasing partnerships with governments and competition with rival institutions, and also gives critical overview of key lobbies, such as over the Jay Treaty, tax expansion, the Corn Laws, tariff reform and free trade, municipal socialism, and modern regulatory burdens. There is also extensive analysis of chamber membership and motivation, tracking changes in structure by firm size, sector and corporate and management structures. The growth of small firm membership, and the value of business networks and (in the early chambers) religious adherence, are shown as key mediums for recruitment, and maintaining commitment. A definitive account of all local chambers including data appendices and detailed assessment of their significance, the book will be an enduring resource and foundation for research into the Chambers of Commerce's origins, historical development, and modern position.