Dana M. Williams – författare

Distrust is in the air—of politicians, corporations, and the institutions that claim to protect us. Trust is often seen as the foundation of a better society—but better for whom? While some forms of radical trust can foster survival, resistance, and movement-building, others entrench inequality and uphold the domination of elite groups.Who Do We Trust? shatters conventional wisdom, revealing how trust in hierarchical institutions perpetuates inequality and consolidates power among the elite. Drawing on examples from the war on Gaza, the rise of the MAGA movement, police violence, and the global response to refugees, Dana Williams challenges us to question who truly deserves our trust and who doesn't.This bold, timely exploration unearths social relationships, cultures of resistance, and the urgent fight to reclaim trust from those who exploit it.

Inspirational, nuanced and wisea wake-up call to re-imagine social structures through cooperative action and mutual aidJonathan Purkis, author ofDriving With StrangersA compelling framework with which to analyze transforming our lives for the betterShuli Branson, author ofPractical AnarchismDistrust is in the airof politicians, corporations, and the institutions that claim to protect us. Trust is often seen as the foundation of a better societybut better for whom? While some forms of radical trust can foster survival, resistance, and movement-building, others entrench inequality and uphold the domination of elite groups.Who Do We Trust?shatters conventional wisdom, revealing how trust in hierarchical institutions perpetuates inequality and consolidates power among the elite. Drawing on examples from the war on Gaza, the rise of the MAGA movement, police violence, and the global response to refugees, Dana Williams challenges us to question who truly deserves our trust and who doesnt.This bold, timely exploration unearths social relationships, cultures of resistance, and the urgent fight to reclaim trust from those who exploit it.Dana M. Williamsis Professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico, and the author ofBlack Flags and Social Movementsand co-author ofAnarchy and Society.

Anarchism may be the most misunderstood political ideology of the modern era, and one of the least studied social movements by English-speaking scholars. Black flags and social movements addresses this deficit with an in-depth analysis of contemporary anarchist movements as interpreted by social movement theories and political sociology. Using unique data gathered by anarchists themselves, Williams presents longitudinal and international analyses that focus upon who anarchists are, and where they may be found. Social movement ideas including political opportunity, new social movements, and social capital theory, are relevant and adaptable to understanding anarchist movements. Due to their sometimes limited numbers and identities as radical anti-authoritarians, anarchists often find themselves collaborating with numerous other social movements, bringing along their values, ideas and tactics.

Anarchism may be the most misunderstood political ideology of the modern era, and one of the least studied social movements by English-speaking scholars. Black flags and social movements addresses this deficit with an in-depth analysis of contemporary anarchist movements as interpreted by social movement theories and political sociology. Using unique data gathered by anarchists themselves, Williams presents longitudinal and international analyses that focus upon who anarchists are, and where they may be found. Social movement ideas including political opportunity, new social movements, and social capital theory, are relevant and adaptable to understanding anarchist movements. Due to their sometimes limited numbers and identities as radical anti-authoritarians, anarchists often find themselves collaborating with numerous other social movements, bringing along their values, ideas and tactics.

Anarchy and Society constructs possible parameters for a future 'anarchist sociology', by a sociological exposition of major anarchist thinkers as well as an anarchist interrogation of key sociological concepts (including social norms, inequality and social movements). Sociology and anarchism share many common interests including community, solidarity, feminism, crime and restorative justice and social domination. The synthesis proposed by Anarchy and Society is reflexive, critical and strongly anchored in both traditions.