Offers strategies, which show how positive change can be accomplished - despite an increasingly grim political order. This book describes how the power of grassroots activism has won respect. It also offers a sophisticated analysis of the American power structure by someone on the front lines.

"The Activist's Handbook" details the impact of specific strategies on campaigns across the country: battles over homelessness, the environment, AIDS policies, neighborhood preservation, and school reform among others. Though activist groups can have widely different aims, similar tactics are shown to produce success. Further, the book offers a sophisticated analysis of the American power structure by someone on the front lines. In showing how people can and must make a difference at both local and national levels, this is an indispensable guide not only for activists, but for everyone interested in the future of progressive politics in America.

Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgments Introduction
1. Don't Respond, Strategize 2. Elected Officials: Inspiring Fear and Loathing 3. Coalition Activism: Rounding Up the Unusual Suspects 4. Ballot Initiatives: The Rules of the Game 5. The Media: winning More Than Coverage 6. Lawyers: Allies or Obstacles to Social Change? 7. Direct Action: ACTing UP and Sitting In 8. Getting Started: Agenda Setting and Action Plans 9. Conclusion: Activism for the Twenty-First Century
Notes