Book review: mobilizing for democracy: comparing 1989 and 2011 by Donatella Della Porta

This volume aims to look at episodes of democratization through the lens of social movement studies. With case studies focused on Central Eastern Europe in 1989 and in the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, Donatella Della Porta presents theories on causal mechanisms and conditions as they emerge in mobilizations for democracy. This is an exhaustive and empirically rich work that will attract readers interested in learning more about the role of those ‘from below’ in democratization and the dynamics of protests, writes Asma Ali Farah. It is only a pity that on some occasions, the author does not substantiate her thought-provoking claims with more solid evidence.