New Books in Economics

Maraam A. Dwidar, "Power to the Partners: Organizational Coalitions in Social Justice Advocacy" (University of Chicago Press, 2025)

Jun 23, 2025
Maraam A. Dwidar, an Assistant Professor of Government at Georgetown University, dives into the dynamics of organizational coalitions in social justice advocacy. She explains how diverse partnerships help historically vulnerable communities overcome resource challenges in lobbying. Dwidar shares insights from her extensive research involving over 20,000 advocacy organizations, revealing strategies that lead to effective political power. The discussion covers coalition-building tactics, the role of public commentary in policy-making, and the unique impact practitioners can have in shaping equitable policies.
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ANECDOTE

Decade-long Coalition Data Journey

  • Maraam A. Dwidar spent nearly a decade collecting data on over 20,000 organizations and 1,700 coalitions in social justice advocacy.
  • She used co-signature patterns on public comment documents in federal agency rulemaking to track coalition building over 17 years.
INSIGHT

Power of Structured, Diverse Coalitions

  • Coalitions with formalized structures and diverse membership yield stronger advocacy outcomes.
  • Formal rules and diverse perspectives help organizations learn and influence policy more effectively.
INSIGHT

Measuring Advocacy Success via Text

  • Textual similarity analysis between public comments and final agency rules measures advocacy success.
  • This method uniquely captures fine-grained influence in regulatory policymaking.
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