Organizing for Policy Influence

'Organizing for Policy Influence provides an innovative theory and a careful empirical analysis for understanding how activist groups influence politics in advanced democracies. Farrer persuasively argues that the type of organization that groups of political activists choose - specifically, whether they choose political parties, interest groups, or direct action groups - has profound implications for how these groups of citizens are represented. He looks at current and salient issues, like the environment and immigration, to increase our understanding of activist influence. Under which circumstances should activists organize as interest groups or political parties? Farrer's analysis provides key insights for important questions like this one.' - Lawrence Ezrow, Professor of Government, University of Essex 'Farrer employs an impressive variety of methodological approaches to argue that overlooked and under-represented actors - specifically, environmental activists - have the power to effect policy change. An important corrective to the academic and popular bias in favor of political parties, this book also shows why policy-seeking activists might choose to form an interest group or engage in direct action over creating a niche party.' - Bonnie M. Meguid, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Rochester 'Organizing for Policy Influence represents an expansive, insightful, and engaging text that is both theoretically sophisticated and methodologically rigorous.Farrer's theory usefully problematizes orthodox determinism in social and political analyses and should be read by any scholar in these areas.' - Adam Howe University of British Columbia