Local Actions: Cultural Activism, Power, and Public Life in America

Activism is alive and well in the United States, according to Melissa Checker and Maggie Fishman. It exists on large and small scales and thrives in unexpected places. Finding activism in backyards, art classes, and urban areas branded as "ghettos," these anthropologists explore the many routes people take to work toward social change.

Ten absorbing studies present activist groups across the country—from transgender activists in New York City, to South Asian teenagers in Silicon Valley, to e...