American protest literature, ed. by Zoe Trodd.  Harvard, 2006.  541p bibl index ISBN 0-674-02352-8, $35.00; ISBN 9780674023529, $35.00.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2007jun CHOICE.
44-5417 HN90 2006-49690 MARC 

Trodd (literature and history, Harvard) organizes this excellent anthology around 11 reform movements, most based on race, class, or gender (e.g., the American Revolution, abolition, women’s suffrage, gay rights). Collecting the work of both established writers and new voices, the book comprises some hundred pieces (1-3 pages each): prose excerpts, political documents, poems, photographs, film briefs, essays, fiction, narratives, and orations. In his foreword, John Stauffer (also Harvard) defines protest literature “broadly to mean uses of language to transform the self and change society. [It] functions as a catalyst, guide, or mirror of social change.” Trodd writes clear, informative, and rich introductions, looking forward and backward to similarities in form and content. Succinct in themselves, the selections invite further reading and study (the editor provides recommendations and sources). This excellent book can serve as a textbook as well as a resource on social change and the literature thereof. Indeed, the persuasiveness of the collection raises the question not only of whether protest literature is a genre of its own, but also of whether it is the most American literary form. Summing Up: Essential. All readers, all levels. — L. L. Johnson, Lewis and Clark College 

The Blackwell companion to social movements, ed. by David A. Snow, Sarah A. Soule, and Hanspeter Kriesi.  Blackwell Publishing, 2004.  754p bibl index afp ISBN 0-631-22669-9, $134.95.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2004nov CHOICE.
42-1896  HM881  2003-20377 CIP 

If there is a sociology department at your institution, this book is a “must buy.” Too expensive for students and beyond the reach of most faculty, the volume is sure to become one of the critical disciplinary references for the study of social movements. There is now a large literature in this burgeoning area of intellectual inquiry, but as the editors note, a comprehensive treatment of the subject has been lacking. This compilation serves to remedy that deficiency (at least in large part) by covering “the major processes and issues generally regarded as relevant to understanding the course and character” as well as the dynamics of social movements. The book is divided into five sections: “Facilitative Contexts and Conditions,” “Field of Action and Dynamics,” “Microstructural and Social-Psychological Dimensions,” “Consequences and Outcomes,” and “Major Social Movements.” In each section, essays written by some of the most well known scholars in the field provide a thoroughgoing review (mainly limited to the sociological literature), examining both current debates and new theoretical directions. Valuable for their coverage, international focus, and intellectual sophistication, each essay develops an evaluative argument that is designed to direct as well as summarize inquiry. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduate collections and above. — N. B. Rosenthal, SUNY at Stony Brook 

Carty, Victoria.  Wired and mobilizing: social movements, new technology, and electoral politics.  Routledge, 2011.  111p bibl index  (Routledge studies in science, technology and society, 13) ISBN 0-415-88070-X, $95.00; ISBN 9780415880701, $95.00. Reviewed in 2011may CHOICE.
48-5160  HM881  2010-11745 CIP 

Many people regard the present as a lull in political activism, certainly from the Left, although the Tea Party movement suggests that right-wing social movements are alive and well. This book challenges that assumption and suggests that the focus for organization has shifted to the Internet. Mass rallies and marches will still occur, but organizers will recruit through the Web. Sociologist Carty (Niagara Univ.) gives four examples: opposition to sweatshops, which forced Nike to rely less on exploited labor; worldwide protest against George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq; MoveOn.org, a Web-based organization that pushed the American Democratic Party leftward; and the Obama presidential campaign. Carty suggests the Internet offers opportunities for spontaneous grassroots initiatives, but she also suggests the Web can become a way for powerful centralized interests to manipulate the public. The danger is that the Internet may provide a disguise through which closely orchestrated movements can be presented as expressions of popular will. The Obama campaign and the Tea Party successfully used the Internet for that purpose. The US is experiencing a major transformation, but whether this will create a more centralized or democratic society remains to be seen. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — Y. R. Magrass, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 

The Diffusion of social movements: actors, mechanisms, and political effects, ed. by Rebecca Kolins Givan, Kenneth M. Roberts, and Sarah A. Soule.  Cambridge, 2010.  256p bibl index; ISBN 9780521193733, $85.00; ISBN 9780521130950  pbk, $26.99. Reviewed in 2011may CHOICE.
48-5394  HM881  2010-3656 CIP 

This impressive collection explores the different ways in which social movements spread and influence politics. The essays focus on two key research issues: the diffusion of social movements and the importance of frames used by movement organizations to define their causes. As the volume demonstrates, diffusion of a social movement is a complicated matter that involves many different mechanisms. The authors illustrate the dynamics of diffusion through a series of case studies that cover topics such as the politicization of sexual harassment, labor and human rights, the framing of GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods, the US civil rights movement, and the use of rumor bombs against Senator John Kerry in 2004. Other chapters focus on the mechanisms of diffusion and examine transnational diffusion between movements, different types of Internet activism, and the role of transnational networks and diffusion dynamics on change in the postcommunist world. In covering such a wide variety of social movements, the authors demonstrate the concept of diffusion’s utility and its contribution to understanding the structuring of social protest. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.  — P. Seybold, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis 

Earl, Jennifer.  Digitally enabled social change: activism in the Internet age, by Jennifer Earl and Katrina Kimport.  MIT, 2011.  258p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780262015103, $32.00. Reviewed in 2011nov CHOICE.
49-1776  HM851  2010-21113 CIP 

In this book about how the global reach and blazing speed of the Internet affects the essential character and/or dynamics of online political protest, sociologists Earl (Univ. of California, Santa Barbara) and Kimport (Univ. of California, San Francisco) examine key characteristics of Web activism and investigate their impact on organizing and participating in e-movements. The authors examine the emergence of “Internet activism” and analyze how e-activism is changing the nature of contentious politics with e-movements and e-mobilization. They discuss how activists use the Web for organizing social movements. Based on thorough research, the book presents exactly how online political activity is different from more traditional forms of activism and discusses e-tactics and the two key affordances relevant to activism: sharply reduced costs for organizing and the decreased need for activists to be physically together in order to act together. In the last chapter, the authors discuss what the future holds; e.g., social networking sites will most likely encourage new uses and dynamics of online protest. A must read for those who wish to know how Web-based mobilizations, movements, and tactics have irrevocably redefined activism, as well as anyone interested in grassroots organizing and social change. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — M. Y. Rynn, emerita, University of Scranton 

Encyclopedia of social movement media, ed. by John D. H. Downing.  SAGE Publications, 2011.  602p bibl index afp ISBN 0-7619-2688-7, $135.00; ISBN 9780761926887, $135.00. Reviewed in 2011may CHOICE.
48-4819  P96  2010-24806 CIP 

Editor Downing wisely begins his introduction by noting that this volume represents the tip of a very large iceberg. This encyclopedia offers an internationalized glimpse of the burgeoning field of communications as practiced in social activism around the planet. Each of the 250-plus signed essays offers a brief history and insights into the topic with extensive cross-references for context, along with a brief, well-chosen bibliography of articles, books, and occasional Web entries. The majority of contributors are academics, with a sprinkling of independent scholars and media practitioners representing every continent. The tone and vocabulary of entries is generally scholarly and occasionally presumes some political or historical background. The scope spans the very local to the transnational, with 26 concept and topic overview essays. The thoughtfully constructed “Reader’s Guide” groups entries to allow contrast and comparison, and geographic study. The index is a jewel. This volume could be a gold mine for students seeking information to illuminate contemporary world history, political science, journalism, or mass media studies. Summing Up: Highly recommended. For motivated general readers or upper-division undergraduates. — D. A. Schmitt, St. Louis Community College at Meramec 

Hands, Joss.  @ is for activism: dissent, resistance and rebellion in a digital culture.  Pluto, 2011.  210p bibl index; ISBN 9780745327013, $95.00; ISBN 9780745327006  pbk, $30.00. Reviewed in 2011aug CHOICE.
48-6726  HM851  2011-280999 MARC 

Hands (communication, film, and media, Cambridge Univ., UK) investigates how new technologies, in particular the Internet, are changing the structure of social movements. The author argues that “there lies at the heart of rebellion a kind of thinking that entails the mutual recognition of others, and of solidarity and openness,” and he situates this work within larger discourses on the public sphere, especially those of Jürgen Habermas. Hands recommends that one understand online activist communication as quasi-autonomous recognition networks (QARN). Although Hands concentrates more on theory and less on case studies, what this reviewer found most compelling was discussion of specific moments–e.g., celebrity Ashton Kutcher’s endorsement on Twitter of President Obama’s healthcare-reform proposal; Al Gore’s network, Current TV; and global opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Hands describes these collectively as “the first instance of a massive new form of networked activism” and “part of a coordinated movement of movements, an aggregation and a multiplicity of different groups, causes, individuals, and parties around the whole planet.” Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty. — K. Sorensen, Bentley University 

The International encyclopedia of revolution and protest: 1500 to the present, ed. by Immanuel Ness.  Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.  8v bibl index afp; ISBN 9781405184649, $1195.00. Reviewed in 2009aug CHOICE.
46-6574  JC491  2008-49806 CIP 

The goal of this large, multivolume reference work is to provide a comprehensive examination of modern-era revolutions, uprisings, and protests, with special attention to the important contributions of the subjugated, disenfranchised, and ideologically motivated people behind these actions. An impressive editorial board of over 60 highly qualified international scholars oversaw its compilation, which involved hundreds of contributors. Entries generally range from three to six pages and encompass ideologies, activists, and major historical events. This work’s strength is in its coverage of non-Western revolutionary movements and its attention to radical organizations that more traditional works sometimes gloss over. Although the editor asserts that careful attention was paid to historical objectivity and rigor, many of the entries have a left-wing slant. Some were written by people active in the political movement about which they wrote. All entries are signed and contain good bibliographies. A helpful lexicon provides lists of entries by geography, chronological era, or broad topics such as “Gender and Sexuality,” “Foreign Intervention,” and “Guerilla Tactics.” No comparable work exists in the reference literature. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates. — D. A. Mays, Rollins College

Making waves: worldwide social movements, 1750-2005, coord. by William G. Martin with Tuba Agartan et al.  Paradigm Publishers, 2008.  217p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781594514807, $75.00. Reviewed in 2008nov CHOICE.
46-1786  HM881  2007-20034 CIP 

These essays continue to mine the ideas and insights of the great theorist of world systems, Immanuel Wallerstein. Wallerstein did not simply posit the existence of a global system of capitalism that had been evolving since the 16th century; he also pinpointed the resistance to it, at various times and in various places, in the form of “anti-systemic movements.” These ranged from the large-scale peasant rebellions and urban revolutions of the 17th and 18th centuries to the student movements of the 1960s and the contemporary anti-globalization movement. Unlike earlier students of those movements, the authors of these essays (mostly young collaborators of Wallerstein’s) are, like him, concerned about drawing out the global interconnections of these movements and showing their significance for the global system as a whole. They stress the wave-like character of the movements, commencing with particularly striking instances, such as the American and French Revolutions, before weakening and waning, only to be relaunched by a fresh series of antisystemic challenges. This is a refreshing way of considering some relatively familiar occurrences, even though the essays run the risk of seeing connections that may exist only in the minds of scholars. Summing Up: Recommended. Collections on political sociology and social movements; upper-level undergraduate and graduate. — K. Kumar, University of Virginia 

Manheim, Jarol B.  Strategy in information and influence campaigns: how policy advocates, social movements, insurgent groups, corporations, governments, and others get what they want.  Routledge, 2011.  323p bibl indexes; ISBN 9780415887281, $135.00; ISBN 9780415887298  pbk, $39.95; ISBN 9780203833285 e-book, $39.95. Reviewed in 2012jan CHOICE.
49-2932  JA85  2010-29799 CIP 

Manheim (George Washington Univ.) aims to bridge the gap between pure academic research and applied research. Specifically, he attempts to convey how theoretical work on information and influence campaigns (IIC) can be put into practice by those seeking to influence others. An IIC consists of an effort by one party, through some combination of communication and action, to change the behavior of another party to its advantage. His research applies to those who campaign from the local level through to the global level and to campaigns aimed at both public and private interests. Given the wide net Manheim casts, it is anticipated that this study will serve as a useful resource to not only scholars, but also those wishing to bring about change in a variety of contexts. In short, the author succeeds in producing a comprehensive guidebook for those who want to use information to influence others. Lastly, Manheim’s bibliographic reviews on campaign strategy should be of particular interest to scholars of public policy, political communication, and political behavior. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.  —  R. M. Alexander, Ohio Northern University 

Ostertag, Bob.  People’s movements, people’s press: the journalism of social justice movements.  Beacon Press, 2006.  232p index afp ISBN 0-8070-6164-6, $23.95. Reviewed in 2006dec CHOICE.
44-2389  PN4888  2005-31735 CIP 

Ostertag, a professor in the newly minted Department of Technocultural Studies at the University of California at Davis, has produced a significant scholarly study of American social movements. He has filled a gap in the history of these movements by clearly revealing the important role of non-mainstream publishing, which he designates “The People’s Press.” He brings to light the hidden history of the publications of abolitionist, women’s suffrage, gay and lesbian, veterans against the Vietnam War, and environmental movements. Focusing on the role of this “People’s Press” in the history of select American social movements, the author avoids both side issues and politicizing. The volume presents a clear, detailed account of the influence of every type of journalistic paper, everything from one- or two-page handprinted documents to long-running periodicals such as The Liberator, The Advocate, Mother Jones, etc. The author’s research is prodigious, sometimes bringing forth print items known to only one or two persons who had kept personal archives of movement documents. Writing with a clear narrative style, Ostertag eschews academic jargon and self-aggrandizement, making his findings available to the widest audience. All libraries should have this book. Summing Up: Essential. General readers, lower-division undergraduates through faculty. — R. Cathcart, emeritus, CUNY Queens College 

Polletta, Francesca.  Freedom is an endless meeting: democracy in American social movements.  Chicago, 2002.  285p index afp ISBN 0-226-67448-7, $35.00.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2003may CHOICE.
40-5518  HN57  2002-20615 CIP 

Polletta (Columbia Univ.) offers an engaging look at the questions surrounding the practice of democracy in US social movements. Starting with early efforts at worker education and moving on to pacifists during WW II, the author examines some of the historical roots of participatory democracy, then traces the tensions between participatory democracy and more top-down leadership approaches in the Civil Rights Movement, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, New Left, and women’s liberation movement. She concludes by analyzing what contemporary social movements (e.g., community organizing, direct action networks) have borrowed from previous social movements as well as the innovations they have incorporated in their quest for a more participatory democratic model. This book would be a very valuable addition to courses on social movements, political sociology, social change, and organizations. The author’s balanced treatment of the case studies demonstrates the perils and prospects of building an internally democratic social movement. Many of the questions she raises are long overdue and carefully treated in the context of the existing social movement literature. This book will serve as a standard for researchers interested in these important issues. Summing Up: Essential. All levels and collections. — P. Seybold, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis 

Reed, T.V.  The art of protest: culture and activism from the Civil Rights Movement to the streets of Seattle.  Minnesota, 2005.  362p bibl index afp ISBN 0-8166-3770-9, $74.95; ISBN 0816637717  pbk, $24.95.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2006may CHOICE.
43-5588  HN90  2005-11442 CIP 
 
This book marshals a fresh and compelling perspective for the study of social movements. Reed (American studies and English, Washington State Univ.) provides a nuanced understanding of various collective efforts to effect change in the US during the second half of the 20th century. He focuses on cultural expression by social movement participants, as well as the impact of movement-generated culture on the values, beliefs, and identities of people in general. Reed does this in a sophisticated yet very accessible manner, with a fluid writing style and well-organized chapters ranging from black civil rights to global justice. Succeeding on many levels, the book makes a measurable contribution to the literature of several areas of study, offers a well-informed and insightful introduction to students at every level, and tenders various ideas and tactics to add to an activist toolkit. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. — C. Montrie, University of Massachusetts Lowell 

Revolts, protests, demonstrations, and rebellions in American history: an encyclopedia, ed. by Steven L. Danver.  ABC-CLIO, 2011.  3v bibl index afp; ISBN 9781598842210, $265.00; ISBN 9781598842227 e-book, contact publisher for price. Reviewed in 2011aug CHOICE.
48-6672  HN57  2010-38363 CIP 

Since the colonial period, Americans have used public demonstrations as a method to seek change and to demonstrate displeasure with government and other organizations. Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American History includes entries detailing some 70 such events or movements. Those chosen for inclusion are diverse and representative of important themes in American history. Among the entries included are “Bacon’s Rebellion,” “Pueblo Revolt,” “Bleeding Kansas,” “Haymarket Riot,” “Alcatraz Island Occupation,” and “Day without an Immigrant.” Each entry begins with a lengthy historical overview, followed by a listing of further readings. The inclusion of both primary and secondary sources makes this encyclopedia particularly useful for its intended audience of high school students and lower-level undergraduates. Illustrations, photographs, government documents, and ephemera enhance the text. Given that the topics included are those often of interest to history students, this work will be a welcome addition to any reference collection. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and high school students. — S. E. Morris, University of Kansas 

Smith, Jackie.  Social movements for global democracy.  Johns Hopkins, 2008.  286p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780801887437, $55.00; ISBN 9780801887444  pbk, $25.00. Reviewed in 2008aug CHOICE.
45-7092  HN17  2007-24502 CIP 
 
This latest work by an author well published on the subject of transnational social movements is wide ranging both theoretically and empirically as it addresses the processes of democratic participation and structures in a globalizing and neoliberal world. Smith (Notre Dame) shows characteristics and experiences of networks of social movements as they attempt to find common cause and perhaps common strategies in promoting equality, tolerance, accountability, and sustainability, and as they search for possibilities for people to participate in building multilateral institutions. She particularly highlights the World Social Forum as an example of these types of processes. The book is especially valuable for its charts and tables, which sum up various portions of Smith’s argument. The author contends that transnational movements need to work to achieve a “stronger and more democratic and legitimate UN,” which seems a bit naïve, given the sophistication of the analysis. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — P. LeClerc, St. Lawrence University

Voices of protest: documents of courage and dissent, ed. by Frank Lowenstein, Sheryl Lechner, and Erik Bruun.  Black Dog & Leventhal, 2007.  560p index; ISBN 9781579125851, $24.95. Reviewed in 2008feb CHOICE.
45-2986  JC328   MARC 

The editors, all experienced journalists, have compiled an extensive array of primary documents concerning dissent in the areas of civil rights, national self-determination, economic justice, environmental conservation, religious freedom, peace and war, and international political freedoms. The documents in each topic section are arranged in chronological order, and each is preceded by a short introduction to establish context. The chronological ordering also helps readers understand how protest thought and action evolved over time. Texts are drawn from many different societies and time periods, from Plutarch to Osama bin Laden. The book discusses protests that harm the protestor and protests that result in harm to others, along with the personal experiences of those involved in actions of dissent. This work is unique in the range of documents presented and would be valuable in history, political science, and social issues classes; however, it would benefit from accompanying texts that provide more extensive historical context. A general index and an index of documents by title make accessing any particular document or author easy. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-/upper-division undergraduates and general readers. — J. F. Shuttle, East Tennessee State University 

Editor’s note: Pertinent title with a review forthcoming in the March issue:

Buechler, Steven M. Understanding social movements: theories from the classical era to the present. Paradigm Publishers, 2011. 259p bibl index ISBN 9781594519161 pbk, $33.95

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