The Marketing of Rebellion

How do a few political movements challenging Third World states become global causes celebres, while most remain isolated and obscure? This book rejects dominant views that needy groups readily gain help from selfless non- governmental organizations (NGOs). Instead, they face a Darwinian struggle for scarce international resources - and to succeed, they must aggressively market themselves. To make this argument, this book compares two recent movements that attracted major NGO support, Mexico's Zapatista rebels and Nigeria's Ogoni ethnic group, against similar ones that failed to do so. Based on primary document analysis and over 60 interviews with local activists and NGO leaders, it shows that support goes to the savviest, not the neediest. The Marketing of Rebellion, unlike others, develops a realistic, organizational perspective on social movements, NGOs, and 'global civil society'.