Rules of Activism: Organizing, Protest, and the Fight for Democracy

Since its founding, activists have demanded that the U.S. live up to its democratic promise. Now, with Rules of Activism, Charles Euchner offers a concise “field guide” to the critical place of political and social movements in American politics. Activists have always been at the center of democratic reform in America: abolitionism and suffragism, labor and urban reform, civil rights and antiwar protest, feminism and environmentalism. Activists have agitated and confronted authorities to promote basic rights, economic opportunity, and community wellbeing. In this short but comprehensive guide, Euchner describes 15 core rules of successful movements. To describe each rule, Euchner offers compelling case studies of activists at work and then examines the rule’s underlying logic. Euchner explores every aspect of activism: recruitment, training, organizational development, leadership, strategy, tactics, and the pivot from protest to policy. In a world of growing inequality and existential crises, activist politics has never been more important. Rules of Activism offers a necessary guide for practitioners, scholars and students, and ordinary citizens seeking to understand this core political practice.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: ‘This is What Democracy Looks Like’ Part I: Insight and Outreach Rule 1: Connect, Listen, and Share Rule 2: Identify Gaps and Contradictions Rule 3: Master the Big Idea Rule 4: Map the Sites of Power Part II: Building Capacity Rule 5: Recruit Allies, Near and Far Rule 6: Build a Strong Organization Rule 7: Nurture Servant Leadership Part III: Strategy and Tactics Rule 8: Create a Multi-Dimensional Strategy Rule 9: Work Off the Grid Rule 10: Rally for Solidarity and Attention Rule 11: Withdraw Consent Rule 12: Block, Occupy, and Subvert Rule 13: Create Enduring Symbols and Identity Part IV: Win Some, Lose Some Rule 14: Evolve Multi-Stage Campaigns Rule 15: Pivot from Protest to Policy Postscript: Activism and Democracy

About the Author :
Charles Euchner is an independent writer whose books include Nobody Turn Me Around: A People’s History of the 1963 March on Washington.

Review :
�Nonviolent movement building is one of the greatest of twentieth-century inventions, a way for the powerless to stand up to the powerful. But we don't study it systematically – there's no West Point for activists. That makes a book like this, rich in detail and history, tremendously useful to everyone trying to make change happen.� Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org and author of The End of Nature "Surprisingly, there are relatively few books about protest movements with a practical, activist's orientation. Charles Euchner has developed fifteen helpful Rules of Activism that will inform and motivate anyone with a practical interest in protest, from beginners to seasoned organizers." Jeff Goodwin, New York University "This enticing, informative, and beautifully composed book not only captures the essence of activism but provides a powerful guide for those who wish to become active in the political and social arena. Euchner uses his in-depth understanding of activism across the centuries - drawing on a spectacular range of examples - to bring to life the importance of activism in any democracy." Barry Bluestone, Northeastern University