The Democracy Center

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The Democracy Center works globally to advance social justice through investigation and reporting, training citizens in public advocacy, and leading international citizen campaigns.

Dignity and Defiance

Co-Editors: Jim Shultz and Melissa Crane Draperbook cover

“Forces the abstract and sanitized theory of globalization to get down and dirty in the real world: in the oil spills, the coca fields, the border crossings, the political massacres. This is the little-known story of a people that has dared to fight back against the most powerful economic forces on the planet, told by writers with the courage to dig relentlessly for the truth and the humility to stand back and let their subjects speak for themselves. Enraging, unsparing, inspiring.”

—Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine

As the U.S. enters a new political era, what can we learn from one nation’s battle to define its own way forward in a globalizing world?

Dignity and Defiance is the story of one country, Bolivia, but it is representative of many countries around the world. The book tells the story of Bolivia's citizen uprisings against theprivatization of its natural resources. It travels to jungles and jails to trace the human impact of the U.S. war on drugs. It pedals by bike across the Bolivian highlands to document the disaster left behind by an Enron/Shell oil spill. It digs deep to trace how IMF economic policies led to bloodshed on the steps of the Bolivian Presidential Palace.

Dignity and Defiance also tells the story, from the ground up, of how people have fought courageously to keep globalization from swallowing their lives and to make it work to their benefit – as activists, workers, and immigrants. Ultimately the book is a story of inspiration, and it goes to the heart of what has drawn so much global attention to Bolivia.

HOW TO GET YOUR COPY OF DIGNITY AND DEFIANCE

Order the book today from (click the links):

Researching, writing and publishing Dignity and Defiance has been the major work of the Democracy Center for the past three years. Now we need your help bringing these voices from Bolivia to a broader audience! Create a book discussion group in you community, suggest it to your local library, or use it in your classes. – A discussion guide is coming soon!

For a sample book curriculum for University students click here

To see book reviews click here

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE US TOUR

The whirlwind Dignity and Defiance book tour was a huge success. Over the course of three weeks in February 2009, we visited 15 cities, held 29 events and engaged more than 2,000 people. It was inspirational for us to see how people, across the US, have a genuine interest in – and love for—this small Andean country the Democracy Center calls home.

Couldn’t attend an event? You still have the chance to see a dynamic presentation. A great Seattle-based project called Talking Stick TV filmed our event at the University of Seattle and posted a skillfully produced video.

SELECTED MEDIA

Questions, comments, concerns email book@democracyctr.org.

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