Somebody Should Do Something How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change

A novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference.

Changing the world is difficult. One reason is that the most important problems, like climate change, racism, and poverty, are
The authors paint a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others—warehouse worker Chris Smalls’s unionization at Amazon is one powerful example. Taking inspiration from the writer Bill McKibben, they stress how one “important thing an individual can do is be somewhat
Organized into three main parts, the book first diagnoses the problem of “either/or” thinking about social change, which stems from the false choice of making better personal choices or changing the system. Then it offers a different way to think about social change, anchored in a new picture of human nature emerging across the social sciences. Finally, the authors explore ways of putting this picture into practice. Neither a how-to manual nor an activist’s guide,

About the author

Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly

Product details

• Authors: Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, Daniel Kelly, Brownstein Michael
• Publisher: The MIT Press
• Content: Book
• Product form: Paperback / Softback
• Publication date: 15.09.2026
• Subject: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Miscellaneous
• EAN: 9780262057301
• ISBN: 978-0-262-05730-1
• Pages: 352
• Subjects: Essays, Power, Education, Culture, Sociology, Society, Climate Change, Political Science, Resistance, Communication, PHILOSOPHY / Social, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / General, International Politics, Geopolitics, Psychology, Political Philosophy, Political activism, personal responsibility, Social Change, Social & political philosophy, Work, social and political philosophy, Racism, Activism, Political structure & processes, Structural Change, Social issues & processes, Social Justice, World Politics, Social and ethical issues, Political structure and processes, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Activism & Social Justice, Political activism / Political engagement, political science books, philosophy books, Structural Racism, political books