This book is a synthesis of several modest live experiments that the authors were engaged in as activists and researchers committed to fostering social change through organising and collective action.

Theories about how change happens, and the role of citizens and communities in this process, lag behind the rich practice of community organising, social participation, and collective action happening around the world. Community development and social movement theories and models of participation present a valuable set of ideas that could address some of the challenges we face in attaining health goals. However, until now, these theories have not been sufficiently integrated into public health practice. They have neither been thoroughly examined from a global perspective, nor been fully incorporated into broader public health discussions, except in cases like the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In this book, we situate practical examples of effective organising and actions from diverse geopolitical, socio-cultural and economic contexts across the Majority and Minority world, or the global South and North, integrating them within academic research. In doing so we specifically (re)examine the meanings, role, and significance of social participation and community development in advancing the right to health, tackling health inequalities, and promoting health justice. The focus is on the role of people and communities in building healthier and fair societies.

Over the past four years, the book has evolved from a mere idea into a more comprehensive and defined work. This period, which we call the ‘pandemic era’, has been shaped by the onset of COVID-19 and global and local efforts to address the myriad effects of the pandemic alongside rebuilding health systems and societies ravaged by it.