Description: Mass protest and other forms of activism are spreading around the world. The book examines why this is happening and what implications such dynamic new activism has for global politics.
Review Quotes: "Youngs has identified and examined a novel and vitally important political phenomenon ... a very useful introductory tour d'horizon of new types of civic movement which will be of interest to many scholars, policy makers and students." -- Jeffrey Haynes, Democratization
"A most timely book on the components and complexities, including the digital dimension, of new forms of civic activism and how they relate to old-style, long-standing NGOs. Youngs explains successes and failures of large-scale protests across the world in recent years and unravels the ways in which the new activism contributes to democracy. His analysis has important implications for international diplomacy and global politics, and governments, foundations and multilateral organizations that support civil society." -Annalisa Ciampi, Professor of International Law, Verona University, and former UN Special Rapporteur"This book wonderfully chronicles how civil society is changing before our eyes; the interplay of old and new forms of civic activism, the blurring of institutional formations and geographical boundaries, the need to protect civic space coupled with new opportunities to strengthen citizen participation, and, indeed, the opportunity to reimagine democracy itself. Richard's book will be just as useful a roadmap for those in social movements as for chief executives of large organisations." -Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, CEO, Oxfam-Great Britain
"This artfully written book shines a bright light on the vast variety of civic activism across the contemporary world. It offers us compelling arguments about what's new and why -- and then moves on to offer practical lessons about when the new civic activism advances democracy, when it doesn't and how outside actors might boost better outcomes. Activists, scholars and policymakers will find this a worthwhile read." -Nancy Bermeo, Nuffield Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford