Includes bibliographical references (pages 365-382) and index.

"It's widely believed that Americans retreated to the private realm after the public tumult of the 1960s. In fact, as Michael Stewart Foley shows in Front Porch Politics, the 1970s and 1980s witnessed an unprecedented upsurge of innovative and impassioned political activity on the comumunity level. Tenants challenged landlords, farmers practiced civil disobelience to protect their land, and laid-off workers asserted the right to own their idled factories. Recalling Love Canal, the tax revolt in California, ACT UP, and other crusades famous or forgotten, Foley shows how Americans were propelled by personal experiences and emotions into the public sphere. Disregarding conventional ideas of left and right, they turned to political action when they perceived, from their actual or figurative front porches, an immediate threat to their families, homes, or dreams".--Back cover.

This is the dawning of the age of self-reliance -- The long shadow of segregation -- Sexual politics, family politics -- Energy, health, and safety -- No nukes! -- Toxic waste in the basement -- Fighting for factory jobs and factory towns -- The heartland uprising -- Revolts at home -- The politics of homelessness -- AIDS politics -- Abortion wars.

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