Health Activism: Foundations and Strategies

′This is a highly readable textbook on activism for health. It will be essential reading for students of public health and social policy, and for health activists themselves. The mix of theory and examples sustains interest and keeps the book grounded in real life′ –

David Ross, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

′For all of you who want to improve your lives and who also want to address the world′s problems and change things for the better, Laverack′s book gives you everything you want to know about activism and how to be a health activist. Great book!′′ –
Suzanne Jackson, University of Toronto

In Health Activism: Foundations and Strategies First Edition, Glenn Laverack provides both a “why to” and “how to” guide to health activism. He defines activism as an “action on behalf of a cause, action that goes beyond what is conventional or routine”. Laverack makes a persuasive case for how activism has a role in public health policy and practice. Laverack cautions that the promotion of individualism, privatisation of public services, and a decline in solidarity policies can undermine social processes that address social injustice in health, and he warns of conflict in less open political contexts. However, he also points to opposing trends. — The Lancet Published On: 2013-06-22

Glenn Laverack is seen as a world leader in health promotion and empowerment and has a distinguished career in public health for more than 25 years working in Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and the Pacific regions. He formerly worked as the Coordinator (Empowerment) at the WHO in Geneva and at the Southgate Institute, Flinders University. Dr Laverack is presently working as a freelance adviser based in the UK and has a wide range of publications regarding empowerment in international settings including books in English, Russian and German. His range of professional experience in many cross-cultural settings helps to provide a broad insight into empowerment both at the theoretical and practice levels and to find solutions to the causes of social injustice and health inequalities.