People Power: Unarmed Resistance and Global Solidarity
Transnational solidarity can be crucial for movements of nonviolent struggle – in helping them emerge, in accessing contacts and resources, and in applying leverage on a regime or corporation. Some “transnational advocacy networks” have been criticised for “taking over” from local organisers and for in effect having a disempowering impact on the struggles which they intend to support. The central argument of this book is that the prime role for transnational solidarity is to strengthen the counter-power of those resisting domination and oppression.
* Analyses from Serbia, Burma, Zimbabwe, Colombia, India and Palestine
* Experiences from the work of Peace Brigades International, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Balkan Peace Team, International Solidarity Movement, International Women’s Peace Service, Ecumenical Accompaniers for Peace in Palestine and Israel, Voices in the Wilderness
* Accounts of solidarity networks such as Women in Black, with Turkish war resisters, diaspora groups, Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transexual groups in Africa, and the World Social Forum
* Debate on the criticisms of external funding and training in the “colour revolutions”
Contributors include:
Anand Mazgaonkar, Andreas Speck, Andrew Rigby, Angie Zelter, April Carter, Brian Martin, Chesterfield Samba, Christine Schweitzer, Cynthia Cockburn, George Lakey, Janet Cherry, Jorgen Johansen, Kathy Kelly, Milan Rai, Quique Eguren, Stellan Vinthagen, Véronique Dudouet and Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan
Endorsements
’As the potential of nonviolent civil resistance is attracting much more attention, this book is both timely and stimulating. As well as bringing together numerous examples of noviolent action, it explores the more general possibilities of the approach. As such it will be of great interest not just to students, activists and researchers but to the more general readers seeking alternatives to the violence that permeates so much of the world.’
Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, Bradford University
’I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in advancing human solidarity and non-violent resistance to injustice and oppression. These cases are excellent analyses on how to generate non violent global transformation by working and acting locally. Each contributor identifies the transnational global values and motivation that guides their work but then imbeds these creatively in the dynamics of locality. Each case shows how ordinary people can generate extraordinary change. The editor, authors and the activists written about in this book are to be commended for their creative responses to some appalling problems.’
Professor Kevin P Clements, Director National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, The University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand.
Pluto Press 2009
ISBN: 9780745329017
Price: £15.00 (US$24.74 ; €18.78)