The rise of mistrust is provoking a crisis for representative democracy—solutions lie in the endless creativity of social movements.

From the Tea Party to Occupy Wall Street, and from cryptocurrency advocates to the #MeToo movement, Americans and citizens of democracies worldwide are losing confidence in the system. This loss of faith has spread beyond government to infect a broad swath of institutions—the press, corporations, digital platforms—none of which seem capable of holding us together. How should we encourage participation in public life when neither elections nor protests feel like paths to change?

Drawing on work by political scientists, legal theorists, and activists in the streets, Ethan Zuckerman offers a lens for understanding civic engagement that focuses on efficacy, the power of seeing the change you make in the world. Mistrust is a guidebook for those looking for new ways to make change as well as a fascinating explanation of how we’ve arrived at a moment where old ways of engagement are failing us.

About the Author:     
Ethan Zuckerman is an associate professor of public policy, communication and information at the University of Massachusetts. He is also the author of Digital Cosmopolitans.