"It has been common in recent years to criticize thesocial movement literature for focusing almostexclusively on movements in Western democracies,raising the distinct possibility that the dynamics ofcontention found there do not apply in other timesand places. This is what makes Dr. Lindén's careful,systematic research on civil society activism inpost-Soviet Latvia so important. She shows that manyof the same factors that shape activism in thedemocratic West apply to her case as well. Hers is afirst-rate study and an altogether welcome additionto the literature on social movements and civilsociety." Pr. Douglas McAdam, Stanford University."Tove Lindén has written a fascinating and importantstudy of social capital in Latvia. We know far lessabout social capital and civil society participationin transition countries than in the West and Lindén'swork greatly advances our knowledge. Her extensiveanalyses of the roots of social capital in Latviawill be key additions to our understanding of thedifficult path of transition." Pr. Eric Uslaner,University of Maryland.This book is useful for students, scholars andprofessionals focusing on civil society activism.