Doing democracy

About this book

Social movements appear to follow often unpredictable paths. One week the news will be alive with stories of thousands in the streets; the next week, the thousands are gone. But has the movement withered and died - or has it just changed shape? Doing Democracy argues persuasively that the apparent ups and downs of a social mvoement's fortunes generally follow a pattern that can be used to plan and carry out more effective social action. Based on decades of experience, the authors present a lucid model of the eight stagesthrough which social movements typically evolve, and outline the four roles that activists play in fostering social change. They link the Movement Action Plan to several theories of social movements adn then examine five movements through the lens of this model - civil rights, anti-nuclear, gay and lesbian rights, breast cancer, and globalization - demonstrating its impressive analytic and strategic power. Compelling and accessible, Doing Democracy will appeal to activists and organizations working on all issues; to academics in a variety of disciplines; as well as to all interested in better understanding the social movements they hear abou tin the daily media. -- from back cover.