From Anger to Action

From Anger to Action tells the stories of the citizens' movements charting new paths to tackle the big global challenges that lie behind the political upheavals of our times. Drawing on candid insights from citizens, activists, and innovators, and their own experiences as leaders of internationally recognized advocacy organizations, the authors give an insider account of the battle for change and how it can be won – as well as trenchant criticism of where traditional civil society has lost its way and needs renewal. While unflinching on the dangers of the current political crises, the book offers hard-edged hope and a vision for citizen-led change to reshape our fractured politics.

We meet communities in economically-battered towns welcoming refugees and Syrian peacebuilders reaching across impossible divides, go behind the scenes with Fairtrade banana farmers and hear of frenzied climate campaigners pushing divestment from oil companies and using social media to drive change. Lamb and Jackson explore how citizens' movements are transforming our global politics, refashioning internationalism and fighting back against narrow nationalism. The book analyses why some movements secure lasting change – and others fail. And they show how these insights could shape a wider strategy for grassroots-up transformation.

From Anger to Action will be of interest to social activists and anyone interested in social movements, global change, and civil society.

Acknowledgments   vii
Prologue: Hope Is Happening   ix

1 The Journey to Change   1
2 Citizenquake   11
3 The Timed Test We Cannot Fail   33
4 The Doves Take on the Drones   65
5 Seeds of Hope among Displaced Lives   87
6 The 99 Percent Fights Back   109
7 A Tale of Two Pandemics   137
8 The Past as Prologue to Our Future   151
9 The Three Wheels of Change   169

Notes   183
Index   199
About the Authors   211