Overview

From the Occupy protests to the Black Lives Matter movement and school strikes for climate action, the twenty-first century has been rife with activism. Although very different from one another, each of these movements has created alliances across borders, with activists stressing that their concerns are not confined to individual nation states. In this book, Daniel Laqua shows that global efforts of this kind are not a recent phenomenon, and that as long as there have been borders, activists have sought to cross them. Activism Across Borders since 1870 explores how individuals, groups and organisations have fostered bonds in their quest for political and social change, and considers the impact of national and ideological boundaries on their efforts. Focusing on Europe but with a global outlook, the book acknowledges the importance of imperial and postcolonial settings for groups and individuals that expressed far-reaching ambitions. From feminism and socialism to anti-war campaigns and green politics, this book approaches transnational activism with an emphasis on four features: connectedness, ambivalence, transience and marginality. In doing so, it demonstrates the intertwined nature of different movements, problematizes transnational action, discusses the temporary nature of some alliances, and shows how transnationalism has been used by those marginalized at the national level. With a broad chronological perspective and thematic chapters, it provides historical context, clarifies terms and concepts, and offers an alternative history of modern Europe through the lens of activists, movements and campaigns.

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9781350262799

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Reviews

'Laqua's richly illustrated study considers an extraordinary array of political, social and ecological causes, exploring how transnational activists have both shaped- and been shaped by- the contemporary world. Drawing on impressive primary research and diverse analytical literatures, this volume provides a fascinating and sophisticated account of a topic of wide interest.' * Thomas Davis, City, University of London, UK * 'This book offers an enormously rich insight into the way activists shaped the social fabric of modern societies. The impressive array of topics is both enriching and revealing as it systematically includes the dark sides of activism and invites us to rethink the history of modern societies as a result of competing, intersecting or colliding forms of collective action.' * Isabella Löhr, Centre Marc Bloch, Berlin, Germany * 'This is an impressive book. It offers a wide-ranging and nuanced analysis of various forms of internationalism in engaging prose. Laqua focuses not only on better-studied countries but also relatively under-researched ones in Europe. Crucially, this monograph systematically considers both the benevolent elements and the blind spots manifest in internationalist visions and practices.' * Nikolaos Papadogiannis, Stirling University, UK *

Author Information

Daniel Laqua is Associate Professor of History at Northumbria University, UK. He has published widely on the themes of pacifism, socialism, anti-slavery, socialialism, anarchism, the historiography of humanitarianism and the interplay between the League of Nations and political activism. His publications include International Organizations and Global Civil Society, Internationalism Reconfigured and The Age of Internationalism and Belgium.

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