Globalization is moving fast, impacting on the life of nations with accelerating force. This major new assessment shows how it is being handled by specific groups seeking positive outcomes for the people and causes they represent. It details how the widespread failure of states and corporations to regulate the impact of increased globalization has given rise to non-governmental organizations and movements, aiming to influence corporations regarding social responsibilities and address key issues such as human rights, environmental destruction, unhealthy working conditions and child labour. Assessing the effectiveness of these efforts, it examines both the new movements and the issues they are tackling. With three key case studies on the clothing industry, sustainable forestry and corporate social responsibility, it explores the tensions between politics and management, examining the theoretical implications of regulation for politics, citizenship and the state. Finally, it takes a fresh look at what is to be done, calling for a return to politics centred on the direct participation of the individual in the social choices that affect quality of life, working conditions and the global future.