Grassroots for Hire

Public Affairs Consultants in American Democracy

Edward T. Walker (University of California, Los Angeles)

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English

Cambridge University Press
03 April 2014

Sociology; Political activism

Series: Business and Public Policy

Although 'grassroots' conjures up images of independent citizen organizing, much mass participation today is sponsored by elite consultants working for corporations and powerful interest groups. This book pulls back the curtain to reveal a lucrative industry of consulting firms that incentivize public activism as a marketable service. Edward Walker illustrates how, spurred by the post-sixties advocacy explosion and rising business political engagement, elite consultants have deployed new technologies to commercialize mass participation. Using evidence from interviews, surveys and public records, Grassroots for Hire paints a detailed portrait of these consultants and their clients. Today, Fortune 500 firms hire them to counter-mobilize against regulation, protest or controversy. Ironically, some advocacy groups now outsource organizing to them. Walker also finds that consultants are reshaping both participation and policymaking, but unethical 'astroturf' strategies are often ineffective. This pathbreaking book calls for a rethinking of interactions between corporations, advocacy groups, and elites in politics.

By: Edward T. Walker (University of California Los Angeles)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 226mm, Width: 150mm, Spine: 18mm
Weight: 430g
ISBN: 9781107619012
ISBN 10: 1107619017
Series: Business and Public Policy
Pages: 300
Publication Date: 03 April 2014
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgements; Part I. Sources: 1. Grassroots from the top down; 2. Defining the field and its implications; 3. The formation of a grassroots industry; Part II. Structure: 4. Methods for mobilizing the public; 5. Corporate grassroots; 6. Outsourcing advocacy? Consulting for associations; Part III. Outcomes: 7. Participatory and policy impacts; 8. Conclusion; Appendix; Bibliography.

Edward T. Walker is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles. His scholarly interests include social movements, organizations, public participation, and the political mobilization of firms and industries. His research has been published in the American Sociological Review, the American Journal of Sociology, Social Problems, Public Opinion Quarterly, and Business and Society, and has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Sociological Association. His commentaries have appeared in The New York Times, The Huffington Post and Contexts magazine.

Reviews for Grassroots for Hire: Public Affairs Consultants in American Democracy

'Using a mix of sociological and political science literature and sophisticated methodology, Walker provides numerous cases studies and empirical evidence that many seemingly citizen-initiated campaigns are really orchestrated by funding from corporations and interest groups seeking to benefit ... The examples and data are current and help 'pull back the curtain' to expose a political marketplace in which many ideas and measurements of support receive significant subsidies. The next time an advocate says 'the people have spoken', some skepticism should emerge ... Summing up: recommended.' S. E. Frantzich, Choice 'Walker's focus on a specific set of actors playing a specific role in the political process enables him to make meaningful policy assessments and recommendations. His advice on how to strengthen and enforce existing laws, especially those related to financial disclosure are both insightful and practical, not to mention possible if citizens can press their legislators to adopt them. In this way, his book deploys solid empirical social science in a way that contributes constructively to political discourse. In an age of big money campaigns and facile political cynicism, Walker's book offers a refreshing reminder that citizens still have an important role to play.' Mobilization

Winner of American Sociological Association Collective Behaviour & Social Movements Section: Charles Tilly Award 2015
Winner of American Sociological Association Collective Behaviour & Social Movements Section: Charles Tilly Award 2015.
Winner of Charles Tilly Award, Collective Behavior and Social Movements Section, American Sociological Association 2015