...the intriguing issues raised by Political Altruism? and its contribution in opening an important debate.

Social Forces

The principal virtue of Political Altrusim? is that it moves the debate on altruism toward empirical case studies. This does not mean that the book is devoid of theoretical concerns. Quite the contrary. The introductory chapters by Florence Passy and Charles Tilly, and the concluding chapter by Marco Guigni, address the difficulty of defining the concept of altruism. Yet those of us who have a tendency to approach altruism froma a philosophical perspective are reminded that there is much to be learnt from exploring examples of altruism in action.

Political Studies Review

In defiance of narrow-minded theories in the social sciences-as well as repressive states-citizens around the world continue to take collective action to help others. People take risks on behalf of others less fortunate and try to make the world more just when it would be easier to do nothing. Marco Giugni and Florence Passy have assembled a thoughtful book that explains why, how, and when. This important book will redefine our thinking about self-interest and social movements.

David S. Meyer, University of California, Irvine