  | Book Details Title: Politics Is for Power: How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real Change |
Book DescriptionReview “In our age of democratic turmoil, citizens often ask: What can I do? Where can I have an impact? Frustratingly, analysts usually have few answers to these important questions. Eitan Hersh does. His careful analysis and moving stories show us where and how citizens have made a difference and why so many don’t. Along the way, he will leave you inspired, and even hopeful, about America’s democratic future.” —Daniel Ziblatt, professor of government, Harvard University, and coauthor of How Democracies Die “Politics is not a spectator sport nor a game, in spite of how Twitter can sometimes make it feel. With rigorous research and compelling stories, Hersh lays out exactly how your political participation might not be building the power you wish you had—and what to do to fix it. (Hint: Get involved locally. Consider a run for something!)” —Amanda Litman, cofounder and executive director of Run for Something “At a moment when most people are wringing their hands over the decline of democracy, Politics Is for Power offers a fresh, evidence-based look at both the problem and the solutions. Instead of looking to the outside for saviors, the book turns the mirror on all of us to show what we might be doing to destroy democracy and what we can be doing instead to renew it. It’s a vital read for anyone who feels like there must be something more we can do.” —Hahrie Han, inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute and professor of political science, Johns Hopkins University “[Hersh] offers specific guidance on how readers can stop being hobbyists and start participating in the political process by performing community service or becoming an elected delegate…this richly detailed account effectively highlights an issue affecting contemporary political discourse.” —Publishers Weekly “Reform-minded readers who want to do more than cast a vote will find essential information in Politics Is for Power…Hersh brings unique expertise to this important book…a fascinating mix of history, statistics, social science, storytelling and personal insight. Making the shift from political bystander to change-maker is easier than you think, and Hersh’s book can help you do it.” —BookPage Read more About the Author Eitan Hersh received a PhD from Harvard University in 2011. He served for six years on the faculty of Yale University as assistant professor of political science and resident fellow of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies before becoming a tenured associate professor of political science at Tufts University. His peer-reviewed articles have been published in the major political science journals. Hersh is the author of Hacking the Electorate and Politics Is for Power. Read more Customers Review: This book presents a compelling argument about why so many of us are engaged in politics the “wrong” way alongside uplifting and hopeful stories about people who are helping to change their communities with more meaningful engagement. The author does a really nice job of explaining how “political hobbyism” has become the prominent form of political engagement for so many people these days. There are many reasons for this, including the nationalization of elections and technological innovations that have made it easier to tweet about some national political controversy rather than go out and organize one’s local community. Even if the book can’t fully explain why this political hobbyism is so common now, it makes a very clear case about why this behavior is such a problem (or, at least, not a solution).But this book is so much more than an explanation about what is wrong. What really makes it an excellent read is how the author brings so many characters into the text who are eschewing hobbyism in favor of rolling up their sleeves and getting together with others in their communities to make a real difference. The stories of the students in Davidson, NC, or the moms in rural Pennsylvania, or the Latinas in Haverhill, MA are truly inspiring and make a compelling case for the fact that it is not that difficult to spend the the hour or two per day that we currently use to argue about politics online to do something that will make a real difference for our neighbors. By the end of this book, I was ready to bolt out the door and find my local precinct committee, and if even just a small number of those who read Hersh’s book are similarly motivated it will undoubtedly make a big difference.
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14 reviews