How Social Movements Can Save Democracy

People protest to try to change the world, because they think they can help change the world, and sometimes they do. But not by themselves, and generally not just how and when they want. This incisive book explains how groups of ordinary individuals can affect the world, what makes it possible when it works, and why it sometimes doesn't go to plan. Digging into previous scholarship on social movements, David S. Meyer looks at the origins of social movements, how they contrast with revolutionary campaigns, and assesses the periodic influence of activists on politics, policy, culture, and the way people live their lives. He concludes by stressing the narratives about political change that activists construct and the power that lies in these stories. With sharp insight and a wealth of intriguing cases, this book offers a fuller understanding of the politics and potential payoffs of protest politics.

How does gender influence social movements? How do social movements deal with gender? In Gender and Social Movements , Jo Reger takes a comprehensive look at the ways in which people organize around gender issues and how gender shapes social movements. Here gender is more than an individual quality, it is a part of the very foundation of social movements, shaping how they recruit, mobilize and articulate their strategies, tactics and identities. Moving past the gender binary, Reger explores how movements can shift understandings of gender and how backlash and countermovements can often follow gendered movement successes. Adopting both an intersectional and global lens, the book introduces readers to the idea that gender as a form of societal power is integral in all efforts for social change. With a critical overview across different types of movements and gender activism, such as the women’s liberation, #Metoo and transgender rights movements, this book offers a solid foundation for those seeking to understand how gender and social movements interact.

Create real change in the new social movement paradigm Social Movements for Good is a guidebook for driving change, by taking advantage of the social «currency» that makes movements go viral. Author Derrick Feldmann has spent a career showing organizations how to best reach donors, activists, and employees, and engage a new generation of supporters. In this book, he shares his secrets alongside the stories of today's most successful social good movements by companies and nonprofits. You'll learn about the leaders behind these movements, the individuals who responded, and the approaches that made it work. Modern social movements operate within a new paradigm, and this informative guide walks you through how these movements are created, why people get on board, and the strategy and support network that must be in place for it to succeed. Just going viral isn't enough to make a movement successful—there must be a plan, and the right people with the right skills to follow through with the execution. This book shows you who you need on your side, what they need to do their jobs, and which tools and methods are proving most effective every day. Read the stories of today's most successful social good movements Understand how modern social movements are created Learn how to truly activate a new generation of activists and supporters Formulate an approach that makes the public respond to your issue Effective social movements don't arise by accident. People don't spontaneously come together and effect real change. If you want your movement to succeed, you need a solid strategy and the tools to follow through. Social Movements for Good is your roadmap to viral success and the advancement of your cause.

There remains a huge gulf in understanding by many leaders of what some are calling the Social Age – huge changes going on in society, enabling anyone with a smartphone to sign up to a social network and comment on anything and everything. Despite this revolution, which has been embraced by the masses, it is the people at the top of organizations who have been slowest to understand and adapt to it.While business leaders may feel that it's enough to hire social media managers and amend their marketing strategies, Damian Corbet shows why organizations need to do more to succeed in the Social Age – why CEOs need to 'get social' to survive.The Social CEO sets out to educate and inspire senior leaders to embrace the Social Age, teaching them the hows and whys of utilising social media in order to make them stronger leaders. Social CEOs can effectively encourage engagement from their employees as well as other stakeholders and customers; they're better able to communicate their organization's objectives and values, gauge the climate in which they operate and improve their brand image.Offering invaluable contributions from industry-recognised experts in social business, The Social CEO explores the many aspects of leading in the Social Age, such as storytelling, personal branding, managing risk and public relations. With chapters also written by practising 'social CEOs' working across a variety of sectors, from healthcare to sport, the book provides a wealth of insight into how social media can be used to gain a competitive advantage.

There remains a huge gulf in understanding by many leaders of what some are calling the Social Age – huge changes going on in society, enabling anyone with a smartphone to sign up to a social network and comment on anything and everything. Despite this revolution, which has been embraced by the masses, it is the people at the top of organizations who have been slowest to understand and adapt to it.While business leaders may feel that it's enough to hire social media managers and amend their marketing strategies, Damian Corbet shows why organizations need to do more to succeed in the Social Age – why CEOs need to 'get social' to survive.The Social CEO sets out to educate and inspire senior leaders to embrace the Social Age, teaching them the hows and whys of utilising social media in order to make them stronger leaders. Social CEOs can effectively encourage engagement from their employees as well as other stakeholders and customers; they're better able to communicate their organization's objectives and values, gauge the climate in which they operate and improve their brand image.Offering invaluable contributions from industry-recognised experts in social business, The Social CEO explores the many aspects of leading in the Social Age, such as storytelling, personal branding, managing risk and public relations. With chapters also written by practising 'social CEOs' working across a variety of sectors, from healthcare to sport, the book provides a wealth of insight into how social media can be used to gain a competitive advantage.

An essential guide for leaders who want to use social media to be «open» while maintaining control «Be Open, Be Transparent, Be Authentic» are the current leadership mantras-but companies often push back. Business is premised on the concept of control and yet the new world order demands openness-leaders do not know how to be open and be in control. This must-have resource will help the modern leader understand how to lead in the new open world-where blogging, twittering, facebooking, and digging are becoming the norm. the author lays out the steps that leaders must take to transform their organizations and themselves into being «open» -and exactly what that will mean. Shows how to use social media to become an open organization Offers basic advice for leaders who are adapting to the new era of openness in the marketplace The author Charlene Li is one of the foremost experts on social media and technologies In easy-to-understand language, this book will help leaders orient themselves to social networking and other technological advances.

Our democracies repeatedly fail to safeguard the future. From pensions to pandemics, health and social care through to climate, biodiversity and emerging technologies, democracies have been unable to deliver robust policies for the long term. In this book, Graham Smith asks why. Exploring the drivers of short-termism, he considers ways of reshaping legislatures and constitutions and proposes strengthening independent offices whose overarching goals do not change at every election. More radically, Smith argues that forms of participatory and deliberative politics offer the most effective democratic response to the current political myopia, as well as a powerful means of protecting the interests of generations to come.

At the beginning of the new millennium, the social sciences discover an epochal “turn” making it necessary to revolutionize their theory-building: As a response to what they call the globalization of the social, they find the need to globalize their theorizing as well. It is odd to discover after two centuries of colonialism and imperialism, after two world wars and several economic world crises that there is a world beyond the national socials; it is even more strange that the social sciences globalize their theorizing by comparing theories about nationally confined socials and by creating all sorts of, preferably, “local theories”, just as if any national social was a secluded social biotope. Discussing how to globalize the social sciences, they argue that globalizing social science theorizing means finding a way of theorizing that must, above all, be liberated from “scientism” in order to allow a “provincialization” of thinking. Not surprisingly, the globalizing social sciences also rediscover mythological and moral thinking as a means for a “true scientific universalism”. Michael Kuhn’s new book presents many thought-provoking arguments on the oddities of the globalizing social sciences and on how these oddities are not accidents, but a consequence of the nature of how the social sciences theorize about the social.

In today's economy, maximizing the performance of every employee is critical to business survival and growth. Gen Y—sometimes called Millennials—provides an enticing opportunity for employers to increase their short-term profitability and create a long-term competitive advantage. Almost 80 million strong, Gen Y is the fastest growing segment in the US workforce—and now comprises the entire 18 to 32 demographic. Along with their ever-present cell phone and occasional backpack, Gen Y brings tremendous potential and timely skills to the workplace (just ask, they’ll tell you). However, Gen Y can be notoriously difficult to attract, retain, motivate, and develop. Gen Y's new approach to work makes them a growing challenge or strategic opportunity—depending entirely on how you choose to employ them. In Y-Size Your Business, Jason Ryan Dorsey, The Gen Y Guy, presents a step-by-step methodology for best employing Gen Y without investing a lot of time or money. A member of Gen Y himself he delivers an insider's view of his generation as well as more than fifty cost-effective, ready-to-use strategies that deliver immediate measurable results. Dorsey collected these creative strategies from the frontlines of business during his work with executives, managers, and entrepreneurs in businesses large and small around the world. He shows you exactly how to attract the best Gen Y employees, quickly develop their workplace skills, and then unlock their performance, motivation, and loyalty. Reveals creative ways to attract, retain, motivate, and develop Gen Y employees without paying them more money (or meeting their Mom) Includes a behind-the-scenes view of Gen Y from someone in Gen Y (including why they text message without vowels) Explains the primary workplace differences between the four generations and how to leverage their strengths Features funny, outrageous, and candid stories that expose the generation gap in the office (Is that a tattoo?) Helps you view the Gen Y employee life cycle and key business operations in a new way—one you can use to your business and career advantage Companies that wisely choose to embrace Gen Y today will be well positioned to navigate the global economy tomorrow. Not only will these companies benefit from the talents and ambitions of Gen Y—they’ll also benefit from Gen Y's increasing economic influence as well as their massive social networks. Based on Dorsey's work with business leaders at companies around the world, as a keynote speaker, consultant, and generational expert, Y-Size Your Business presents precisely the solutions you need to make the most of an increasingly important generation that is ready to make an impact from their first day at work (and then blog about it!).

Social media is not about social media. It's about leadership and connections. Billions of conversations are taking place in social networks every day. But for busy executives and business owners, time constraints make it hard to dedicate time to demystifying these communication opportunities. In The Social Executive, readers are given evidence-based, data-driven strategies for mastering social media, and using it to enable business success. This book's easy, straightforward, practical style ensures that you will gain a solid working platform in the shortest amount of time possible. The focus is on the reasons why social media is important for executives, and how it aligns perfectly with business strategies. The Social Executive is for analogue people who know they need to be digital but need a guiding hand – the book is a safety net – it's saying – we will guide you there – we will tell you why – we will tell you how – let us help you to remain relevant and become more influential – it's about human communication. It gives the tips and tools to adapt to new online environments, and the confidence to use them to build credibility, authority deeper and new business relationships. Written by Dionne Kasian-Lew, an expert who has advised many executives on the topic of corporate social media use, this resource also helps professionals pinpoint the most important social networks to invest time in, and explores which platforms are best suited for various communication goals. Brings together strategy and concrete actions, so can learn not only the most rewarding approaches, but how best to carry them out Delves into the benefits of a strong presence on the most popular social networks, including Twitter, LinkedIn, SlideShare, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube Presents hard evidence that shows the positive results of investing time and energy in social networks Focuses on the most important aspects of social networks that can be learned in a short period, and is designed for busy professionals Social networks represent a powerful way to make connections and draw attention and interest to your company. This resource can help you hit the ground running and become social media savvy efficiently and effectively.