The Politics of Common Sense

The way that movements communicate with the general public matters for their chances of lasting success. Comparing the public discourse on the living wage and marriage equality between 1994 and 2004, Deva Woodly shows that movement-led political change is rooted in whether or not movements are able to gain political acceptance.

Deva R. Woodly is Assistant Professor of Political Science, The New School

Introduction: The Discursive Power of Movements
Chapter One: Mainstream Discourse, Public Meaning, and the Political Character of Persuasion
Chapter Two: A Tale of Two Movements- Living Wage
Chapter Three: A Tale of Two Movements- Marriage Equality
Chapter Four: The Discursive Architecture of Resonance
Chapter Five: Political Acceptance and the Process of Political Change
Chapter Six: From Marginal to Mainstream
Conclusion: After Acceptance - the Tea Party, Occupy and Prospects for political transformation
Appendix A
Appendix B
Bibliography