Power Protest And Participation

This book, first published in 1992, examines the attitudes of local elites – the hinge between Indian state and rural society – towards protest and participation in development, illuminating arguments about the nature of the state as well as the development process. It looks at the role of local elites in India both as the representatives of the state and of the rest of rural society, and explains their importance in the country’s development. The book deals with the elites’ contribution to the credibility of the state and examines the strategies through which they manipulate the allocation of resources and influence the pace and direction of social change. It contrasts the rural elites in two areas, one more economically advanced than the other. The elites in the first area were shown to be capable of combining institutional participation with radical protest, whilst in the other they tended to rely on state channels to achieve reform. The author concludes that despite the different settings, both groups were informed, active and responsive to political conditions. This contrasts with the conventional view that local elites of the dominant castes oppress the lower ones by obstructing reforms, for reasons of self-interest.

When the 2011 municipal takeover in Flint, Michigan placed the city under state control, some supported the intervention while others saw it as an affront to democracy. Still others were ambivalent about what was supposed to be a temporary disruption. However, the city's fiscal emergency soon became a public health emergency--the Flint Water Crisis--that captured international attention. But how did Flint's municipal takeovers, which suspended local representational government, alter the local political system? In Power, Participation, and Protest in Flint, Michigan, Ashley Nickels addresses the ways residents, groups, and organizations were able to participate politically--or not--during the city's municipal takeovers in 2002 and 2011. She explains how new politics were created as organizations developed, new coalitions emerged and evolved, and people's understanding of municipal takeovers changed. Inwalking readers through the policy history of, implementation of, and reaction to Flint's two municipal takeovers, Nickels highlights how the ostensibly apolitical policy is, in fact, highly political.

"A wonderful starting point for studying social movements in contemporary Latin America and for analyzing how unique processes of dependent capitalist development, and attendant political structures, influence their emergence and impact. This edited volume comes just in time, before we get too carried away with Euro-centered theories of new social movements and lose sight of what is really happening at the grassroots. It is one of the first collections of its kind published in English, and as such it is a rich and long-overdue contribution. "—Diane E. Davis, Journal of Inter-American Studies and World Affairs "Carefully conceived, Power and Popular Protest is a superb text to be consulted in the years to come by anyone interested in understanding contemporary Latin American politics and society."—Rosario Espinal, Contemporary Sociology

These are 33 documents of a decade of dissent--college and high school writings that mirror disenchantment, discontent, despair and hope--writings that moved students and their allies to further analysis and action. They illustrate, as the editors note, "student concerns ranging from the search for personal identity and self-fulfillment to the need for revolutionary change in America. "We believe it is right to see the student rebellion more as affirmation than condemnation, more as a faith in the perfectability of man than a denial of this possibility." Familiar names appear in these pages: Tom Hayden, Cathy Wilkerson, Mark Rudd, Les Coleman, Bernardine Dohrn, Karen Wald, and more. Even more familiar are the issues dealt with: war, peace and the draft; educational relevance; black student demands; student-worker alliance; women's liberation; violent vs. nonviolent action; reform vs. revolution; political action, effective or ineffective. Major statements range from the catalytic and prophetic Port Huron Statement of 1962 to the 1968-70 documents reproduced here.--From jacket description.

This book demonstrates the direct influence that political protest behavior has on Congress, the presidency, and the Supreme Court, illustrating that protest is a form of democratic responsiveness that government officials have used, and continue to draw on, to implement federal policies. Focusing on racial and ethnic minority concerns, this book shows that the context of political protest has served as a signal for political preferences. As pro minority rights behavior grew and anti minority rights actions declined, politicians learned from minority protest and responded when they felt emboldened by stronger informational cues stemming from citizens' behavior, a theory referred to as the information continuum. Given the influence that minority protest actions have wielded over national government, the book offers a powerful implication. Although the shift from protest to politics as a political strategy has opened the door for institutionalized political opportunity, racial and ethnic minorities have neglected a powerful tool to illustrate the inequalities that exist in contemporary society.

This book is the first to provide quantifiable evidence that protest shifts the policy positions of national political leaders for each branch of government. Drawing on daily presidential rhetoric, roll call votes of congressional leaders, and Supreme Court decisions, the book demonstrates that national politicians take cues from minority protest activity that later lead to major shifts in public policy, rivaling the influence that minorities have through elections and public opinion.

A combination of current events and proud history, The Power of Protest reviews all of the protests that have shaped our society, as well as those at work RIGHT NOW at reshaping the system. Includes beautiful photography alongside current resources for you to continue to fight the injustices that remain in our culture — The Power of Protest will inspire you to be the change you wish to see in the world! Times of great change did not occur by man's desire for change. They were fought for, battled into being, through protest and persistence. As we continue to push for justice, rights we now take for granted were born through protests like those we are waging today. The true impact of activism may not be felt for a generation but that alone is a reason to fight rather than forfeit our freedoms. Looking to our history, the peoples history, we can see how society was shaped by those citizens who refused to give up. How do we want to pick up their mantle? Organized by cause, in an oversized package with photographs and timelines that chronicles protests throughout our global history — you'll find information on modern movements that you can get involved in, the stories and origins of those causes, as well as inspirational quotes from leaders and scholars throughout. Activists and those interested in activism can read about the fight for equal rights of all races, all sexes, all genders...and explore how their cause has shaped the world. What did the journey look like from the women's right to vote to modern feminism? What was the path taken by race activists as they changed history, from abolitionists to black lives matter? This visual history covers all aspects of protests that shaped our society, including: The Fight for Women's Rights The Fight for Race Rights The Fight for Gay (LGBTQ+) Rights The Fight for Peace & Freedom The Fight for Worker's Rights Specific modern causes such as Gun Violence (responses and protests from Columbine to Parkland) and more... As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

Explains the character of contemporary protest politics through a micro-mobilization analysis of participation in street demonstrations.