Mark Engler

Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent. Paul Engler is a co-founder of theMomentum Training, which instructs hundreds of activists each year in the prin

Why targeting corporate Democrats is part of the fight against Donald Trump

Trump rose to the presidency by railing against the Washington establishment. The Democratic Party’s propensity for compromise and triangulation only plays into his hands.

By Mark Engler

/ 9 Dec 2016

The transformative power of democratic uprisings

Every so often an outburst of resistance seems to break open a world of possibilities, but what makes the difference?

By Mark Engler and Paul Engler

/ 16 Mar 2016

What makes nonviolent movements explode?

The emergence of social movements is a product of two powerful forces working in tandem: disruption and sacrifice.

By Mark Engler and Paul Engler

/ 16 Jan 2015

How did Gandhi win?

What underpins the transformative impact of campaigning? Short term success or failure may be a poor guide to the future.

By Mark Engler and Paul Engler

/ 14 Oct 2014

Surviving the ups and downs of social movements

The fluctuating cycles of popular movements can’t be avoided, so how do activists translate periods of peak activity into substantive and enduring social change?

By Mark Engler and Paul Engler

/ 19 Sep 2014

When the pillars fall: how social movements can win more victories like same-sex marriage

In only ten years, widespread opposition to same-sex marriage in the USA has been transformed into equally widespread support. How did it happen?

By Mark Engler and Paul Engler

/ 1 Aug 2014

Should we fight the system or be the change?

Short-term campaigns versus building the beloved community: what are the real costs and benefits of pre-figurative politics?

By Mark Engler and Paul Engler

/ 25 Jun 2014

Can disruptive power create new social movements?

Explosive short-term mobilization and long-term organizing are both important to social transformation. When, where and how will new social movements emerge in the future?

By Mark Engler and Paul Engler

/ 13 May 2014