Breaking the Boundaries: Australian activists tell their stories

by Yvonne Allen (Editor), Joy Noble (Editor)

What makes an activist? What makes one person speak out against injustice while another will be content to get angry at the TV news? What makes the activist so determined to make her or his voice heard, often against powerful odds? This book looks for answers in the personal stories of 46 Australians, young and old, fighting to be heard in a range of areas including human rights, gender issues, and the environment.

'Being an activist is about being more than yourself. It is about creating a better world.' - Khadija Gbla, cross-cultural activist

'In my time as an activist, I have learned two main things: do what you are able to do, and never lose heart.' - Julian Burnside, barrister, human rights and refugee advocate, and author

'Words have been my principle weapon of choice.' - Anne Layton-Bennett, environmental activist

'We know instinctively if something is unfair or wrong. The greatest challenge is how to change that idea into the courage, passion and wisdom that enables us to act to make a change for the better.' Jim Douglas, community activist

242 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a little late for Refugee Week which would have been the ideal time to post this review, but this book has a timeless message…

Breaking the Boundaries is a collection of vignettes from Australian activists. They come from all walks of life. As it says in the introduction…

What becomes clear as you read the stories is that activists come in many guises: teenagers, grandmothers, lawyers, children, parents, ex-politicians, workers, students, grandfathers. They can be the man next door or the woman in the shop you frequent. They can be a farmer or a newcomer to our shores. They are everywhere. (p.1)

There are high profile activists like Julian Burnside (who resists the term, considering himself rather an advocate for refugees who was stirred to action by a tragic case brought to his attention) and anti-nuclear activist Jo Vallentine, former Senator for Western Australia elected as a member of the Nuclear Disarmament Party. And then there are people you’ve probably never heard of, like Phoebe and Savannah Brice, a couple of Aboriginal kids who wanted to fly the Aboriginal flag at their primary school and didn’t have a flagpole to fly it from.

[Tinted Edges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my review at https://tintededges.wordpress.com/201...