The Politics of Small Things – The Power of the Powerless in Dark Times - Softcover

Goldfarb, Jeffrey C

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226301095 ISBN 13: 9780226301099

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2007

Synopsis

Political change doesn't always begin with a bang; it often starts with just a whisper. From the discussions around kitchen tables that led to the dismantling of the Soviet bloc to the more recent emergence of Internet initiatives such as MoveOn.org and Redeem the Vote that are revolutionizing the American political landscape, consequential political life develops in small spaces where dialogue generates political power. In "The Politics of Small Things", Jeffrey C. Goldfarb studies political activism at the micro level by comparatively analyzing key turning points in recent history. He presents a sociology of human interactions that lead from small to large: dissent around the old Soviet bloc; life on the streets in Warsaw, Prague, and Bucharest in 1989; and the religious and Internet mobilizations that transformed the 2004 presidential election, to name a few. Such pivotal but small moments, Goldfarb argues, can generate political autonomy and present alternatives to the big politics of the global stage and the dominant narratives of terrorism, antiterrorism, and globalization.

About this title

About the Author

Jeffrey C. Goldfarb is the Michael E. Gellert Professor of Sociology at the New School for Social Research. He is the author of seven books, including On Cultural Freedom, The Cynical Society, and Beyond Glasnost, all published by the University of Chicago Press.

From the Back Cover

Political change doesn't always begin with a bang; it often starts with just a whisper. From the discussions around kitchen tables that led to the dismantling of the Soviet bloc to the more recent emergence of Internet initiatives like MoveOn.org and Redeem the Vote that are revolutionizing the American political landscape, consequential political life develops in small spaces where dialogue generates political power.
In The Politics of Small Things, Jeffrey C. Goldfarb provides an innovative way to understand the politics of our times. Moving from small to large, he uncovers a dimension of power that is found in human interaction. He analyzes recent turning points, movements, and institutions: dissent around the old Soviet bloc; life on the streets in Warsaw, Prague, and Bucharest in 1989; the network of terror that spawned 9/11; and the religious and Internet mobilizations that transformed the 2004 presidential election. In such pivotal moments, he masterfully shows, political autonomy can be generated, presenting alternatives to the big politics of the global stage and the dominant narratives of terrorism, antiterrorism, and globalization.
A stirring chronicle of some of the most dramatic political events in recent history, The Politics of Small Things provides a hopeful and empowering reminder that political mobilization and change often have humble beginnings.

From the Inside Flap

Political change doesn t always begin with a bang; it often starts with just a whisper. From the discussions around kitchen tables that led to the dismantling of the Soviet bloc to the more recent emergence of Internet initiatives like MoveOn.org and Redeem the Vote that are revolutionizing the American political landscape, consequential political life develops in small spaces where dialogue generates political power.
In The Politics of Small Things, Jeffrey C. Goldfarb provides an innovative way to understand the politics of our times. Moving from small to large, he uncovers a dimension of power that is found in human interaction. He analyzes recent turning points, movements, and institutions: dissent around the old Soviet bloc; life on the streets in Warsaw, Prague, and Bucharest in 1989; the network of terror that spawned 9/11; and the religious and Internet mobilizations that transformed the 2004 presidential election. In such pivotal moments, he masterfully shows, political autonomy can be generated, presenting alternatives to the big politics of the global stage and the dominant narratives of terrorism, antiterrorism, and globalization.
A stirring chronicle of some of the most dramatic political events in recent history,The Politics of Small Things provides a hopeful and empowering reminder that political mobilization and change often have humble beginnings.

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Political change doesn&;t always begin with a bang; it often starts with just a whisper. From the discussions around kitchen tables that led to the dismantling of the Soviet bloc to the more recent emergence of Internet initiatives like MoveOn.org and Redeem the Vote that are revolutionizing the American political landscape, consequential political life develops in small spaces where dialogue generates political power.
In The Politics of Small Things, Jeffrey C. Goldfarb provides an innovative way to understand the politics of our times. Moving from small to large, he uncovers a dimension of power that is found in human interaction. He analyzes recent turning points, movements, and institutions: dissent around the old Soviet bloc; life on the streets in Warsaw, Prague, and Bucharest in 1989; the network of terror that spawned 9/11; and the religious and Internet mobilizations that transformed the 2004 presidential election. In such pivotal moments, he masterfully shows, political autonomy can be generated, presenting alternatives to the big politics of the global stage and the dominant narratives of terrorism, antiterrorism, and globalization.
A stirring chronicle of some of the most dramatic political events in recent history, The Politics of Small Things provides a hopeful and empowering reminder that political mobilization and change often have humble beginnings.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226301095
• ISBN 13: 9780226301099
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 168