Watchdog and Gadflies: Activism from marginal to Mainstream

Franзois Boudreau is a professor of sociology at Laurentian University.

Watchdog and Gadflies describes how activism has become a mainstream
activity and how it has changed many aspects of our lives. The growth of
activism in civil society, the author argues, is in part a response to
the crisis in traditional politics. His book shows how activism on every
imaginable issue is now practiced across the whole spectrum of political
standpoints. At the same time, it also shows that, with some issues, the
old way of looking at the political spectrum (left vs. right) doesn’t
hold true anymore.

The book’s 11 chapters discuss, among other things, the end of
traditional politics, the professionalization of activism, the rise of
conservative activism, what it means to be a citizen, and the use of
activism with respect to education, globalization, the environment,
health care, poverty, justice, and democratic reform. There is a good
index and a three-page listing of activists’ Web sites, but no
bibliography.

Those looking for a scholarly assessment of an important social
phenomenon will not find it in these pages. Rather than analysis,
Falconer has produced anecdote-heavy profiles of passionate and engaged
citizens. Most of the points being made are lost in a sea of irrelevant
details (e.g., the color of the table or a description of the
interviewee’s hands). Watchdog and Gadflies reads like a novel and, as
such, may appeal to the general reader.