Author Description

Green Networks describes how, through networking, allegiances and pragmatic alliances, individual environmental groups in Italy worked together to form a collective movement strong enough to influence a political system traditionally dominated by polarised left/right-wing politics. It was one of the most striking innovations in the country's political system during the 1980s, and, despite harsh economic and institutional crises, it still remains a major social and political force today. Giving a fresh perspective on the meteoric rise of the Italian environmental movement, this enlightening study shows that it is possible for pressure groups to break into mainstream politics. It also provides one of the most systematic applications of social network analysis to the study of social movements ever undertaken, and as such, its evidence and interpretations are also of direct relevance to all those interested in the study of new social movements and collective actions at large.