Explaining Civil Society Core Activism: Testing Western Theories in Post-soviet Latvia

"It has been common in recent years to criticize the social movement literature for focusing almost exclusively on movements in Western democracies, raising the distinct possibility that the dynamics of contention found there do not apply in other times and places. This is what makes Dr. Lindén's careful, systematic research on civil society activism in post-Soviet Latvia so important. She shows that many of the same factors that shape activism in the democratic West apply to her case as well. Hers is a first-rate study and an altogether welcome addition to the literature on social movements and civil society." Pr. Douglas McAdam, Stanford University. "Tove Lindén has written a fascinating and important study of social capital in Latvia. We know far less about social capital and civil society participation in transition countries than in the West and Lindén's work greatly advances our knowledge. Her extensive analyses of the roots of social capital in Latvia will be key additions to our understanding of the difficult path of transition." Pr. Eric Uslaner, University of Maryland. This book is useful for students, scholars and professionals focusing on civil society activism.