Beyond Zuccotti Park: Freedom of Assembly and the Occupation of Public Space - Softcover

Ronald Shiffman, FAICP, is the former director of the Pratt Center for Community Development, which he cofounded in 1964. He was awarded the 2012 Jane Jacobs Medal for Lifetime Leadership for his work to promote community-based activism over the last fifty years.

Rick Bell, FAIA, is executive director of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He was instrumental in the creation of AIA's New York New Visions design and planning coalition, which has helped to catalyze and critique the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan.

Advance Praise

“What was it about Zuccotti Park, and other public spaces around the world, that helps explain its success? And how can we preserve and strengthen such spaces as places of protest? This book, like Zuccotti itself, is a site of vigorous conversation, hard thinking, and bold proposals on such issues.”
―Mike Wallace, coauthor of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898

“Beyond Zuccotti Park is an insightful and relevant book that challenges us to think differently about the role of public space for civic engagement. If you believe in the First Amendment's right to freedom of assembly, then this is the book to read.”
―Mitchell Silver, AICP, President, American Planning Association

"A free and open public discussion is well understood to be fundamental to a democracy. Beyond Zuccotti Park confirms how important accessible open space is to that public discussion and illuminates the policy issues raised by the Occupy Wall Street movement. This diverse collection of voices raises important questions about how to define a genuine public space."
―Roberta Brandes Gratz, author of The Battle For Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs

Expert Reviews

"The editors have assembled a chorus of voices into a fascinating... dialogue on the occupation of public space."
―Publishers Weekly

"A timely perspective on public protest... The book’s general premise is unarguable: 'We need to be vigilant to assure that both the availability of public space and the policies that govern its use in no way impede the right to assemble.'"
―Sam Roberts, New York Times Metro

"The essays are as eclectic as the writers’ viewpoints, making them rich and provocative. The common thread, which is so clearly stated in the book’s acknowledgements, is their 'commitment to the important role that public space, universal access, equity, and design can play to enhance democracy and promote freedom of expression.' The concepts of public commons and the agora became part of the conversation not only within the context of cultural citizenship but also in the vital role design plays in forming the public sector."
―Maxinne Rhea Leighton, e-Oculus

"By launching a riveting discourse about the role and impact of public spaces, Beyond Zuccotti Park not only encourages us to reflect upon the rights we have as citizens of a democracy, but to also get on our feet and seize the opportunity to fully the embrace these rights in order to create positive change in our communities."
―Janey Lee, This Big City

"Beyond Zucotti Park is a fine collection of thoughts and articles on the [Occupy] movement and the change it has made in ways that have not been expected in social planning and other elements of society, highly recommended."
―Midwest Book Review

"The book’s essays survey the importance of public space as a forum for citizen expression granted by the US Constitution and how it has been compromised by the powers-that-be. At issue is no less than essence of democracy, so state Lance Jay Brown and Ron Shiffman, activist academics among the distinguished editors, in a forceful introduction."
―Sam Hall Kaplan, Planetizen

"As the title indicates, the collection of essays is not about OWS [Occupy Wall Street]; it's about the impact of OWS and the thinking about assembly and public space that it has sparked.... [The contributors'] takes on public space and assembly could be read as recipes for making urban open spaces amenable for exercising democratic rights."
―A Daily Dose of Architecture

"Pick it [Beyond Zuccotti Park] up and you, too, will find yourself swept away in the moment. You might also, as I did, begin to raise questions about the form of this protest and its relationship to meaningful social and political change."
—Adele Oltman, eJournal of Public Affairs

Advance Praise

What was it about Zuccotti Park, and other public spaces around the world, that helps explain its success? And how can we preserve and strengthen such spaces as places of protest? This book, like Zuccotti itself, is a site of vigorous conversation, hard thinking, and bold proposals on such issues.”
Mike Wallace, coauthor of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898

Beyond Zuccotti Park is an insightful and relevant book that challenges us to think differently about the role of public space for civic engagement. If you believe in the First Amendment's right to freedom of assembly, then this is the book to read.”
Mitchell Silver, AICP, President, American Planning Association

"A free and open public discussion is well understood to be fundamental to a democracy. Beyond Zuccotti Park confirms how important accessible open space is to that public discussion and illuminates the policy issues raised by the Occupy Wall Street movement. This diverse collection of voices raises important questions about how to define a genuine public space."
Roberta Brandes Gratz, author of The Battle For Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs

Expert Reviews

"The editors have assembled a chorus of voices into a fascinating... dialogue on the occupation of public space."
Publishers Weekly

"A timely perspective on public protest... The book’s general premise is unarguable: 'We need to be vigilant to assure that both the availability of public space and the policies that govern its use in no way impede the right to assemble.'"
Sam Roberts, New York Times Metro

"The essays are as eclectic as the writers’ viewpoints, making them rich and provocative. The common thread, which is so clearly stated in the book’s acknowledgements, is their 'commitment to the important role that public space, universal access, equity, and design can play to enhance democracy and promote freedom of expression.' The concepts of public commons and the agora became part of the conversation not only within the context of cultural citizenship but also in the vital role design plays in forming the public sector."
Maxinne Rhea Leighton, e-Oculus

"By launching a riveting discourse about the role and impact of public spaces, Beyond Zuccotti Park not only encourages us to reflect upon the rights we have as citizens of a democracy, but to also get on our feet and seize the opportunity to fully the embrace these rights in order to create positive change in our communities."
Janey Lee, This Big City

"Beyond Zucotti Park is a fine collection of thoughts and articles on the [Occupy] movement and the change it has made in ways that have not been expected in social planning and other elements of society, highly recommended."
Midwest Book Review

"The book’s essays survey the importance of public space as a forum for citizen expression granted by the US Constitution and how it has been compromised by the powers-that-be. At issue is no less than essence of democracy, so state Lance Jay Brown and Ron Shiffman, activist academics among the distinguished editors, in a forceful introduction."
Sam Hall Kaplan, Planetizen

"As the title indicates, the collection of essays is not about OWS [Occupy Wall Street]; it's about the impact of OWS and the thinking about assembly and public space that it has sparked.... [The contributors'] takes on public space and assembly could be read as recipes for making urban open spaces amenable for exercising democratic rights."
A Daily Dose of Architecture

"Pick it [Beyond Zuccotti Park] up and you, too, will find yourself swept away in the moment. You might also, as I did, begin to raise questions about the form of this protest and its relationship to meaningful social and political change."
—Adele Oltman, eJournal of Public Affairs