The Way of the Activist

November 24, 2024

The Way of the Activist has come in a few discussions recently. I co-wrote this with Rachel Broadbent in 2017, just after the general election. It’s a starter guide for people who want to build a better world, and be armed with the skills and arguments to do it.

I’m posting links here so people can get hold of a copy.

When is an emotional argument more effective than a logical one? What are the group dynamics that determine the success or failure of an organisation? How do ideas spread through a population? What are the three key factors to keep activist volunteers motivated? What does Game Theory teach us about political rivalries? When should we trust the wisdom of crowds over the wisdom of experts? What causes hyperinflation? How to banks create money? What is Modern Monetary Theory?

If you want to know the answers, buy the book. If you already know the answers to all these questions, you should buy this book to see if you’re right, then give it to a friend.

The Way of the Activist distils research from social psychology, communication theory, anthropology, economics and political activism into one short book. It’s broken down into short, self-contained chapters designed to be read in about ten minutes each, and assumes no prior knowledge or experience.

It is the perfect starting place for an activist’s political education and would be ideal to start a discussion group around.

News from Nowhere – a non-profit workers’ cooperative bookshop: https://www.newsfromnowhere.org.uk/books/DisplayBookInfo.php?ISBN=9781999939106

Abe Books: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9781974094929/Way-Activist-Driscoll-Jamie-Broadbent-1974094928/plp

And if you can’t get hold of it elsewhere, Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Way-Activist-Jamie-Driscoll/dp/1974094928

Happy reading!