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In March 1987 a radical coalition of queer activists converged on
Wall Street ... their target, 'Business, Big Business, Business as
Usual ' It was ACT UP's first demonstration. In November 1999 a
radical coalition of environmental, labor, anarchist, queer, and
human rights activists converged in Seattle--their target was
similar, a system of global capitalism. Between 1987 and 1999 a new
project in activism had emerged unshackled from past ghosts.
Through innovative use of civil rights' era non-violent
disobedience, guerrilla theatre, and sophisticated media work, ACT
UP has helped transform the world of activism.
This anthology offers a history of ACT UP for a new generation of
activists and students. It is divided into five sections which
address the new social movements, the use of street theater to
reclaim public space, queer and sexual politics, new
media/electronic civil disobedience, and race and community
building. Contributions range across a diverse spectrum: The
Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, Jubilee 2000,
Students for an Undemocratic Society, Fed Up Queers, Gender
Identity Center of Colorado, Triangle Foundation, Jacks of Color,
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, Lower East Side Collective,
Community Labor Coalition, Church of Stop-Shopping, Indy Media
Collective, Black Radical Congress, The Theater of the Oppressed
Laboratory, Adelante Street Theater; HealthGAP, Housing Works,
SexPanic and, of course, ACT UP itself.
The history of democracy in America is the history of the extension
of voting privileges from white male property-owners to blacks, to
women, and to citizens over eighteen years of age. Yet, the number
of United States citizens who actually vote is distressingly low in
comparison with voter turnout in other democratic nations. Barely
half of the eligible electorate vote in presidential elections and
even fewer cast ballots in state and local elections. Poor,
minority, and urban communities report the lowest turnout rates,
calling into question the reality of American democracy. Who or
what is to blame? Among the many suspects, from stealthy
politicians to indifferent citizens, the system of election
administration often goes unrecognized. In fact, public officials
charged with registering voters and operating the polls on election
day literally act as the "gatekeepers to the franchise." By
blocking or facilitating a citizen's ability to vote, they shape
democratic participation. In this timely study, political scientist
Ronald Hayduk assesses the impact that electoral rules,
registration procedures, and on-the-ground operations of New York's
state and city election boards have had upon voters' participation
and election outcomes over the past 130 years. This in-depth case
study documents the ways in which certain practices not only
disenfranchise eligible individuals but disproportionately affect
low-income and minority groups. It also provides alarming evidence
that the debacle in Florida during the 2000 presidential election
was not unique. Partisanship and the corruption it fosters have
been built into the American system of election administration. At
the same time, however, Hayduk argues that expansive election
practices and efficient administration do encourage registration
and voting. Bringing his research up to the 2004 presidential
election, he evaluates the reforms instituted by the Help America
Vote Act. In the conclusion, he offers a candid discussion of other
proposed measures for ensuring that all citizens can exercise their
right to vote.
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Loot
Nadine Gordimer
Paperback
(2)
R398
R330
Discovery Miles 3 300
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