If we are to “build back better” after this terrible covid-19 pandemic we will need an operating manual, a blueprint to show us how it should be done. Harriet Lamb and Ben Jackson have just delivered that blueprint. Drawing on their decades of activism in the past they now point to a new age of resistance for the future. Whether it is the cooperatives producing parmesan in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region or tracking the cost of climate pollution, they show how citizen power has pointed the way to a “social economy” that serves the people and the planet. This is a manifesto for a new kind of future, an action plan for change.
— George Alagiah, BBC journalist and author
As this inspiring book shows, civil society is a powerful force for good. It’s also clear that civil society groups need to constantly evolve to meet the new challenges of the age, including rethinking organisational models to keep pace with a shifting global landscape. Great story-telling and call for action.
— Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive, Oxfam Great Britain
A must-read for students, academics and researchers.
— Dr. Jude Howell, London School of Economics
A manifesto for citizen activism in our troubled times.
— Dr. Vandana Shiva, Indian scholar and environmental activist
A truly human book, challenging, uplifting, intelligent and necessary.
— Philippe Sands, author of East West Street, Professor at University College London
High praise for this empowering and important book that truly is a great read.
— Molly Harriss Olson, CEO Fairtrade Australia/New Zealand, former White House adviser
A must read for social activists and ordinary citizens who want to learn how their actions can help to change the world.
— Professor John Gaventa, Institute of Development Studies