On the Artist Project Earth (APE) blog, writer Laura Howarth talks of the experience of reviewing The Activists’ Handbook.

As an occasional reviewer myself, the process of reviewing a book is in itself, intriguing. The focus required to distill the essence of a 100,000 word tome into a 750 word summary is intense – but on several occasions, that deep scrutiny has given me an insight into the subject that I may never have gained. For example, the latest book I reviewed was one that I probably would never had read: called An Activist’s Handbook – the title didn’t grab me and anyway, in my work at Artists Project Earth, I come into regular contact with activists – so maybe I didn’t need to read it… But Susan asked me to review it, and I gained such a deep insight from that process, that it has changed my whole perspective on activism and my role at work. Continue reading….

Laura Howarth’s review of The Activists’ Handbook in Resurgence

In his toolbox for addressing social inequality, Aidan Ricketts includes ethical investing, ethical consumerism, consumer boycotts and shareholder activism – a sign of our times that much activism these days is aimed at businesses and corporations whose actions are detrimental to communities and the wider environment. The “feedback loop of effective corporate campaigning” draws the corporations into the debate because they are made to address the continued reputational damage the campaign creates. The best way for the company to address this is to accede to the agenda of the social movement. It can take a very long time, but the McLibel campaigners are probably chuckling to themselves even now as McDonald’s UK makes its own biofuel from waste cooking oil. Corporate activism therefore represents an increasingly important focus for participatory democracy. Continue reading….