Activism, Inc.: How the Outsourcing of Grassroots Campaigns Is Strangling Progressive Politics in America (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: national progressive groups, canvass directors, new canvassers, People's Project, Institutionalizing Activism, San Diego (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book describes how grassroots politics has withered and what must be done to revive it. A timely message for America in the 21st century."—Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley

"Fisher has written an inspiring and insightful study of the crisis of left-leaning civic live in modern America... her diligent, non-judgmental primary research overturns every half-baked and ill-formed prejudice that ha been spouted about 'middle America' on both sides of the pond."—Spiked Review of Books

"Dana Fishers Activism, Inc. is an extraordinarily important and incisive book, both readable and extremely well informed. An insiders look at todays civic activism and Democratic Party campaigns, it could well catalyze a national debate on the future and nature of progressive politics."—Harry C. Boyte, Co-Director, Center for Democracy and Citizenship, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

Product Description

"For a charmingly recherché complaint, check out Activism, Inc. by Dana R. Fisher. Fisher, who teaches sociology at Columbia, is upset about the professionalization of grass-roots campaigning, which she believes has sliced the bottom rung off the political ladder and keeps inspired young people from entering politics and pointing it in a more salubrious direction."
--The New York Times Book Review

"This book describes how grassroots politics has withered and what must be done to revive it. A timely message for America in the 21st century."
--Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley

"An original grassroots critique as to why progressive citizen groups and the Democratic Party are failing to prevail and weakening themselves. Dana Fisher argues that you cannot outsource democratic movements. Listen up, national progressive groups, Fisher's insights are lighting up the path to greater effectiveness. Democrats would be well advised to put this book at the top of their reading list. That is, if they want to understand better how to win elections."
--Ralph Nader

Activism, Inc. introduces America to an increasingly familiar political actor: the canvasser. She's the twenty-something with the clipboard, stopping you on the street or knocking on your door, the foot soldier of political campaigns.

Granted unprecedented access to the "People's Project," an unknown yet influential organization driving left-leaning grassroots politics, Dana Fisher tells the true story of outsourcing politics in America. Like the major corporations that outsourced their customer service to companies abroad, the grassroots campaigns of national progressive movements--including Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, Save the Children, and the Human Rights Campaign--have been outsourced at different times to this single organization. During the 2004 presidential campaign, the Democratic Party followed a similar outsourcing model for their canvassing.

Fisher examines the history and rationale behind political outsourcing on the Left, weaving together frank interviews with canvassers, high-ranking political officials across the political spectrum, and People's Project management. She compares all of this to the grassroots efforts on the Right, which remain firmly grounded in communities and local politics.

This book offers a chilling review of the consequences of political outsourcing. Connecting local people on the streets throughout America to the national organizations and political campaigns that make up progressive politics, it shows what happens to the passionate young activists outsourced to the clients of Activism, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 168 pages Publisher: Stanford University Press; 1 edition (September 6, 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 0804752176 ISBN-13: 978-0804752176 Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #733,964 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Author

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
national progressive groups, canvass directors, new canvassers, street canvassers, many canvassers, most canvassers, canvass office, grassroots outreach, paid canvassers, canvassing office, gressive politics, idealistic young people, political infrastructure, grassroots base

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
People's Project, Institutionalizing Activism, San Diego, Outsourcing Activism, Democratic Party, United States, Green Corps, Republican Party, Sierra Club, Ann Arbor, Josh Wachs, Save the Children, The Future of Grassroots Politics, African American, John Kerry, Human Rights Campaign, John Passacantando, New York Times, Tom Lindenfeld, Howard Dean, Ivy League, Karen Hicks, New York City, Sally Green Heaven, Bill Bradley

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

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	93% buy the item featured on this page: Activism, Inc.: How the Outsourcing of Grassroots Campaigns Is Strangling Progressive Politics in America 3.5 out of 5 stars (4) $29.95
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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews 5 star:  (2) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 3.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 4 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A Balanced View, December 7, 2006 By  Aaron Kreider - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Reviews on this book are going to be slanted based on whether the reviewer agrees with the author's thesis. I feel that the author did a good job of presenting both the positive and negative aspects of canvassing, and of doing her research. More often people's opinions on canvassing tend to fall to the extremes. Interestingly the most vehement defenders tend to come from the 1% or so of canvassers who have stuck with it, and secured higher-level positions in canvassing or social change organizations. What's missing is a model for an alternative form of getting people started in activism. For me, that model would be to get involved in community organizations that get to choose their own local campaigns, run themselves, and fund their own positions by doing grassroots fundraising (and raise the money from people who are involved in the democratic decision-making of the organization - for instance by having regular membership meetings). These organizations would stay in a community for ten years or more, build deep relationships with its members and other progressive organizations, and create a base for longterm social change. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars How Well Does a United Way Structure Work for Politics ..., April 17, 2007 By  The Lifelong Learner (Santa Monica) - See all my reviews ... where a few organizations serve as the umbrella for the activism of many. Interesting premise of how the shift toward centralized activism has hurt liberal/left political causes by distancing them from true grassroots. It's missed the value of community relationships and narrows a pipeline through which future leadership develops. Certainly the Democratic party did better nationally when they focused on party infrastructure closer to the grassroots. And that's this author's premise: to shift the democrartic party away from a more top-down elitist structure to the more grassroot egalitarian approach of the republican party. While candidates and issues matter, her book is strictly about presentation of these. And she underscores the idea that people who know their neighbors and are involved in a community are more likely to win votes. Good documentation (4 stars) and dry until nearly the end (2 stars) but worthy reading. 2 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunately the premise is all too real, November 7, 2006 By  W. Brantley (Louisville, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    "Just the Facts" needs to check his or her facts (beware of anonymous reviewers). The book is well-sourced and the author clearly documents how the Democratic Party has outsourced their campaigns which led to the 2004 disaster. That's why Dean launched the 50-states campaign. I also suggest the following article from the American Prospect that addresses the problem of canvasser outsourcing (http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=11993).		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars Base on a flawed premise The basic premise of this book is incorrect, but is only one of many inaccuracies in this book. Sadly, this subject matter is valid, and there are other areas that could be... Read more Published on November 2, 2006 by Just the facts Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press; 1 edition (September 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804752176
• ISBN-13: 978-0804752176
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #733,964 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Balanced View, December 7, 2006

By	Aaron Kreider - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Reviews on this book are going to be slanted based on whether the reviewer agrees with the author's thesis. I feel that the author did a good job of presenting both the positive and negative aspects of canvassing, and of doing her research. More often people's opinions on canvassing tend to fall to the extremes.

Interestingly the most vehement defenders tend to come from the 1% or so of canvassers who have stuck with it, and secured higher-level positions in canvassing or social change organizations.

What's missing is a model for an alternative form of getting people started in activism. For me, that model would be to get involved in community organizations that get to choose their own local campaigns, run themselves, and fund their own positions by doing grassroots fundraising (and raise the money from people who are involved in the democratic decision-making of the organization - for instance by having regular membership meetings). These organizations would stay in a community for ten years or more, build deep relationships with its members and other progressive organizations, and create a base for longterm social change.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars How Well Does a United Way Structure Work for Politics ..., April 17, 2007

By	The Lifelong Learner (Santa Monica) - See all my reviews

... where a few organizations serve as the umbrella for the activism of many. Interesting premise of how the shift toward centralized activism has hurt liberal/left political causes by distancing them from true grassroots. It's missed the value of community relationships and narrows a pipeline through which future leadership develops. Certainly the Democratic party did better nationally when they focused on party infrastructure closer to the grassroots. And that's this author's premise: to shift the democrartic party away from a more top-down elitist structure to the more grassroot egalitarian approach of the republican party.

While candidates and issues matter, her book is strictly about presentation of these. And she underscores the idea that people who know their neighbors and are involved in a community are more likely to win votes. Good documentation (4 stars) and dry until nearly the end (2 stars) but worthy reading.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunately the premise is all too real, November 7, 2006

By	W. Brantley (Louisville, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Just the Facts" needs to check his or her facts (beware of anonymous reviewers). The book is well-sourced and the author clearly documents how the Democratic Party has outsourced their campaigns which led to the 2004 disaster. That's why Dean launched the 50-states campaign. I also suggest the following article from the American Prospect that addresses the problem of canvasser outsourcing (http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=11993).