Subtitle: A Practical Guide to Changing the World
Author: Jim Shultz
Subject: Public Policy
Paper ISBN 0-8135-3038-5
Cloth ISBN 0-8135-3037-7
Pages: 256 pp., 21 b&w illus.
Description: A hands-on guide to public advocacy.
Significant University Press Title, Choice!
The Democracy Owners' Manual is a unique, hands-on guide for people who want to change public policy at the local, state, or national level. A combination of policy and advocacy basics, the book offers a clear presentation of the issues and debates activists are likely to encounter as well as a lucid, example-rich guide to effective strategies and actions.
Newcomers and veteran activists alike will find this book an invaluable treasure chest of ideas and stimulating stories to help them tackle the issues they care about. The Democracy Owners' Manual also lends itself for university courses in political science, public administration, social work, public health, environmental studies, and other disciplines that touch on public policy and political change.
Jim Shultz is the executive director of The Democracy Center. Formerly an assistant to the California Legislature and a California lobbyist with Common Cause and Consumers Union, Shultz has trained thousands of civic advocates in the United States, Latin America, and Africa.
Praise for The Democracy Owner's Manual
"I wish I had Jim Shultz's The Democracy Owner's Manual when I started organizing and lobbying nearly 40 years ago. Shultz adds a distinctive voice to why citizens who take the initiative and organize will thwart and best the powerful. He engages the reader with language that is simple, wise, perceptive, and profound."-David Cohen, codirector, Advocacy Institute
"Shultz's book is a passionate and valuable guide to exercising and strengthening our democracy. The Democracy Owners' Manual provides the tools that will enable advocates to be more effective in shaping public policy."-E. Richard Brown, UCLA School of Public Health
"Jim Shultz's book is a wonderful first step for anyone who wants to be effective at protecting the environment, or fighting for economic and social justice."-Carl Pope, executive director, Sierra Club
"Jim Shultz's manual shows how you can practice democracy and participate in power while enjoying the experiences with your fellow activists."-Ralph Nader, consumer advocate and author of Crashing the Party
"For parents and others who want to make a difference . . . The Democracy Owner's Manual lights the way."-Carol Ruley, past vice president, National PTA
