Books to Read if you are Interested in Activism, Social Change and Justice
A comprehensive and broad range of books to read if you are Interested in activism, campaigning, organising, social change and justice.
Topic
Campaign Strategy
Resources to enable groups to plan effective campaigns and other social change projects. These tools will help you assess the social and political situation, identify opportunities, map stakeholders, develop clear objectives, and come up with creative and powerful tactics.
You will find additional strategy guidance and inspiration in the case studies section.
(Dis)solution Magazine
(Dis)solution is an Australian online and print journal published in Naarm/Melbourne. It is born out of a need for radical, critical thought and expression, particularly from emerging writers, artists and activists which challenges the catastrophic, ecocidal structures of the 21st century.
Climate Activism: Start Here
A strong climate movement means meaningful change. Here’s a list of resources to help you on your climate activism journey.
How to Win by Thinking like Your Opponent: Lessons from 350 Australia’s Campaign Against the Galilee Basin
This story illustrates 350 Australia’s strategic decision-making process as they took on the largest coal export facility project in the world, showcasing their ability to think like their opponent and strategically target banks, ultimately selecting the Commonwealth as their primary focus for maximum impact.
How Healthy Campaigns Respond in the Face of Bad News
Examples – from 350.org and beyond – about ways people handled campaign losses in healthy, soul-giving, and strategic ways.
Campaign Strategy: Start Here
Looking to start a campaign or improve your campaign strategy? Here is a list of manuals, templates, tools and other resources to get you started.
How France Fought to Keep it in the Ground: Lessons from 350 Campaigns
Rukiya, a 350.org organiser in Kenya, shares stories of how they recruited people for the African DeCOALinise Campaign.
Power and Agency: Lessons from Ten years of Climate Campaigning
Kathryn McCallum, an Australian Climate Campaigner, shares her lessons from ten years of climate campaigning in this talk given in 2023.
Labor Power and Strategy: How to Read Womack
The 2023 book Labour Power and Strategy, edited by Peter Olney and Glenn Perušek, is centred around a lengthy interview with labour organiser and historian John Womack Jr in which he argues for the importance of ‘strategic workplace organising’
Lessons from the Transport for All Campaign
The Transport for All campaign, coordinated by DRC Advocacy, is fighting for accessible public transport in Victoria, Australia. An interview with Ally Scott and Greg Ferrington about the campaign.
Insights from Disability Campaigning from Rochelle Porteous
Interview with Rochelle Porteous, experienced campaigner on a range of issues and the Advocacy Manager at the Council for Intellectual Disability.
Decoding Injustice: Shedding new light on how economic policies harm people’s human rights
This article provides a powerful way to use research to advance a range of economic, environmental, and social issues.
The Activist Handbook: Campaigning Guides for Activists
The Activist Handbook is a ‘wikipedia’ style website that provides guides and resources for people to become effective activists.
Organising Stories and Lessons from the 350 Organising Story Telling Lab
Collection of different case studies / stories of organising and movements from across the globe collated and presented by 350.org.
Beautiful Action Trainer Modules (BATMo): Resources for Nonviolent Action Trainers
People Power, Civil Resistance and Nonviolent Action NVA Trainers and Facilitators – Lists of training activities from Beautiful Trouble.
Introduction to Campaigning and Social Movements (Online Courses)
Three courses by 350.org about how to campaign and social movements. The courses are very user friendly, easy to follow and accessible.
Lessons from Campaigning for AIDs Activism with Sarah Schulman
Introduction This episode features an interview by Commons Librarian Holly Hammond with novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and historian Sarah Schulman. They discuss the nature of effective coalitions, the challenges of accurately documenting social movements, and lessons from campaigns led by the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) during the 1980s and 1990s. A participant in […]
Insights from Disability Campaigning from El Gibbs and Elly Desmarchelier
Disability rights campaigners chat about how campaigns can be more effective & accessible, history and the importance of rest and fun.
The Social Change Grid: A Framework for Understanding Social Change
Here is a new framework for understanding social change by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation in the UK. It is called the Social Change Grid.
Glossaries for Campaign Strategy, Community Organising and Solidarity and Justice
Would you like to gain an understanding of what different terms mean in the world of campaigning and organising?