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The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated
“The law is no magic bullet when it comes to bringing about change, but if you understand its power as a tool, you can harness it to bring about the change yourself – especially if you do it with others as a movement. In this respect I have found The Power of Law, The Power of People to be transformational.” —Jane Fonda
“Every person in this book has spent their lives acting like the house is on fire and responding to the world’s most pressing problems with the urgency they deserve. But more than that, they are offering a roadmap for doing what is often considered to be impossible, but necessary. They are the true leaders that the world needs to listen to and follow.” —Greta Thunberg
“It takes a lawyer, an activist and a storyteller to change the world”
In these vibrant narratives, 25 of the world’s most accomplished movement lawyers and activists become storytellers, reflecting on their experiences at the frontlines of some of the most significant struggles of our time. In an era where human rights are under threat, their words offer both an inspiration and a compass for the way movements can use the law – and must sometimes break it – to bring about social justice.
The contributors here take you into their worlds: Jennifer Robinson frantically orchestrating a protest outside London’s Ecuadorean embassy to prevent the authorities from arresting her client Julian Assange; Justin Hansford at the barricades during the protests over the murder of black teenager Mike Brown in Lawrence, Missouri; Ghida Frangieh in Lebanon’s detention centres trying to access arrested protestors during the 2019 revolution; Pavel Chikov defending Pussy Riot and other abused prisoners in Russia; Ayisha Siddiqa, a shy Pakistani immigrant, discovering community in her new home while leading the 2019 youth climate strike in Manhattan; Green peace activist Kumi Naidoo on a rubber dinghy in stormy Arctic seas contemplating his mortality as he races to occupy an oil rig.
The stories in The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated capture the complex, and often-awkward dance between legal reform and social change. They are more than compelling portraits of fascinating lives and work, they are revelatory: of generational transitions; of epochal change and apocalyptic anxiety; of the ethical dilemmas that define our age; and of how one can make a positive impact when the odds are stacked against you in a harsh world of climate crisis and ruthless globalization.
Contributors: Phelister Abdalla, Alejandra Ancheita, Joe Athialy, Baher Azmy, Pavel Chikov, Ghida Frangieh, Njeri Gateru, Robin Gorna, Justin Hansford, Mark Heywood, Benjamin Hoffmann, David Hunter, Ka Hsaw Wa, Julia Lalla-Maharajh, Kumi Naidoo, Nana Ama Nketia-Quaidoo, Katie Redford, Jennifer Robinson, Ayisha Siddiqa, Eimear Sparks, Klemenytna Suchanow, Marissa Vahlsing, Krystal TwoBulls, David Wicker, Farhana Yamin and JingJing Zhang.
Foreword by JANE FONDA
“Every person in this book has spent their lives acting like the house is on fire and responding to the world’s most pressing problems with the urgency they deserve. But more than that, they are offering a roadmap for doing what is often considered to be impossible, but necessary. They are the true leaders that the world needs to listen to and follow.” —Greta Thunberg
“It takes a lawyer, an activist and a storyteller to change the world”
In these vibrant narratives, 25 of the world’s most accomplished movement lawyers and activists become storytellers, reflecting on their experiences at the frontlines of some of the most significant struggles of our time. In an era where human rights are under threat, their words offer both an inspiration and a compass for the way movements can use the law – and must sometimes break it – to bring about social justice.
The contributors here take you into their worlds: Jennifer Robinson frantically orchestrating a protest outside London’s Ecuadorean embassy to prevent the authorities from arresting her client Julian Assange; Justin Hansford at the barricades during the protests over the murder of black teenager Mike Brown in Lawrence, Missouri; Ghida Frangieh in Lebanon’s detention centres trying to access arrested protestors during the 2019 revolution; Pavel Chikov defending Pussy Riot and other abused prisoners in Russia; Ayisha Siddiqa, a shy Pakistani immigrant, discovering community in her new home while leading the 2019 youth climate strike in Manhattan; Green peace activist Kumi Naidoo on a rubber dinghy in stormy Arctic seas contemplating his mortality as he races to occupy an oil rig.
The stories in The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated capture the complex, and often-awkward dance between legal reform and social change. They are more than compelling portraits of fascinating lives and work, they are revelatory: of generational transitions; of epochal change and apocalyptic anxiety; of the ethical dilemmas that define our age; and of how one can make a positive impact when the odds are stacked against you in a harsh world of climate crisis and ruthless globalization.
Contributors: Phelister Abdalla, Alejandra Ancheita, Joe Athialy, Baher Azmy, Pavel Chikov, Ghida Frangieh, Njeri Gateru, Robin Gorna, Justin Hansford, Mark Heywood, Benjamin Hoffmann, David Hunter, Ka Hsaw Wa, Julia Lalla-Maharajh, Kumi Naidoo, Nana Ama Nketia-Quaidoo, Katie Redford, Jennifer Robinson, Ayisha Siddiqa, Eimear Sparks, Klemenytna Suchanow, Marissa Vahlsing, Krystal TwoBulls, David Wicker, Farhana Yamin and JingJing Zhang.
Foreword by JANE FONDA
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2022
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165 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 27, 2023
Such a good book, social Justice focused collections like this can be very repetitive but this one is not!!!! The writing is uncomplicated and the contributors are so inspiring and they are doing THE work!!
February 6, 2024
A series of short stories showcasing different environmental and human rights activists and lawyers retelling their experiences either litigating or choosing to operate outside the court system to achieve radical change.
This book highlights an important lesson of how movement lawyers understand when the law can be used as a tool for change and when different approaches of activism are more effective to achieve tangible results. It showcases how at times laws can get approved and/or repealed but the reality of what happens outside the bubble of judiciary circles can tell a much different story. Sometimes the radical changes can happen long before the court cases catch up to reflect this new reality, sometimes litigation is where the change must come from.
I also enjoyed the epilogue, "Rules For Radical Lawyers," one being understanding which battles to choose in order to grow the movement and how losing a case doesn't mean losing the movement. Legal reform is just one piece of enacting radical change in our lives and world around us.
Highly recommend this book for any activist!
This book highlights an important lesson of how movement lawyers understand when the law can be used as a tool for change and when different approaches of activism are more effective to achieve tangible results. It showcases how at times laws can get approved and/or repealed but the reality of what happens outside the bubble of judiciary circles can tell a much different story. Sometimes the radical changes can happen long before the court cases catch up to reflect this new reality, sometimes litigation is where the change must come from.
I also enjoyed the epilogue, "Rules For Radical Lawyers," one being understanding which battles to choose in order to grow the movement and how losing a case doesn't mean losing the movement. Legal reform is just one piece of enacting radical change in our lives and world around us.
Highly recommend this book for any activist!
April 1, 2025
An incredible resource for strategic litigation practitioners, with a behind the scenes look at real cases and how practitioners utilised the law and other tools to evoke real change. I found it particularly interesting to learn how many practitioners valued many other outcomes to movement litigation other than just winning your case.
May 31, 2023
A great collection of essays by lawyers and activists about the role of law and organizing in advancing social change. Mark Gevisser is an excellent editor, and he made each chapter very readable and compelling.
December 26, 2023
There is hope in everything and we should face challenges head on without fear or grief but with determination! For every problem there is a solution where collaboration works best when we join hands together for the common good. The society wins at the end of the day.
May 22, 2024
Being a collection of contributions, some were more interesting and catching than others. Some went beyond to explain more legal substance and link to activism. I'll surely return to some parts for inspiration in the future.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews