This digest offers guidelines for group advocacy efforts on behalf of gifted education. Four potential pitfalls are identified: using an adversarial rather than a persuasive approach; assuming that people in administrative and political positions are not too bright or not very knowledgeable--or both; being impatient; and ineffectively coping with…

This paper examines the tactics used by the Showmen's Guild of Australasia in successfully lobbying for the development of a distance education program for their children. The Guild is considered to be a "marginalized" group, meaning members have less access to wealth, power, and status. Since 1930, members of the Showmen's Guild and…

West Virginia's strong environmental legislation is due to the efforts of the West Virginia Environmental Council. The history of the statewide coalition is presented, as well as organizational aspects that make the council successful, such as loose structure based on consensus, and respect for all the different shades of green comprising the…