Ripples of Hope

In Ripples of Hope, Robert M. Press tells the stories of mothers, students, teachers, journalists, attorneys, and many others who courageously stood up for freedom and human rights against repressive rulers “ and who helped bring about change through primarily nonviolent means. Global in application and focusing on Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone, this tribute to the strength of the human spirit also breaks new ground in social movement theories, showing how people on their own or in small groups can make a difference.

"A very interesting read, and the application of social movement theory offers news insights into the developments in Sierra Leone between late 1970s and 1990s - as well as a critical rethinking of the theory itself in light of the country's own experiences." - Ismail Rashid, Professor of History, Vassar College "I honestly congratulate and thank [Press] for the in-depth [work]. [He has] gone underneath the 'story' to the underlying issues contributing to the state of affairs in Liberia=, this work highlights deep rooted issues that any serious person seeking to engage the Liberian society can take clues form. It brings out 'hidden reasons' for the way the society operates." - T. Debey Sayndee. Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and Director of the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, University of Liberia "Enormously rich, interesting and original. I think that the book will be a very important contribution to the study of social movements in West Africa. The cacophony of voices, which could have cluttered the text, feels fresh and original, because they are drawn from many sources, some expected, some not. They add up a very convincing account of the political history and social activism of the country for the past few decades." - Lansana Gberie, former journalist; author of A Dirty War in West Africa: the RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone; currently Senior Associate & Head of Monrovia Office, International Center for Transitional Justice Monrovia, Liberia "Compelling.... A welcomed corrective to overdetermined academic theories prevalent in the West.... Recommended." - Choice Magazine

Robert M. Press earned his PhD in political science at the University of Florida in 2004. He is the author of two books: Peaceful Resistance: Advancing Human Rights and Democratic Freedom (Ashgate, 2006); and The New Africa: Dispatches from a Changing Continent (U. Press of Florida, 1999).