Whistleblowers
Whistleblowers by Allison Stanger, published by Yale University Press on September 24, 2019, offers a detailed exploration of the history of whistleblowing in America, spanning from the Revolutionary War to the Trump era. This 290-page book examines the complex dynamics faced by individuals who expose misconduct by those in power, highlighting the vital public service they provide despite the personal risks involved.
Readers will find an analysis of various whistleblowing incidents, including the actions of Esek Hopkins, Edward Snowden, and the implications of dishonesty during the Trump administration. Stanger emphasizes the significance of whistleblowing as a form of civil disobedience that holds elites accountable, while also addressing the challenges posed by evolving technology and increased militarization. This work contributes to the understanding of how whistleblowing is integral to the health of American democracy and the ongoing struggle for transparency and accountability.
Official synopsis Publisher
A “brisk and interesting” (Jill Lepore, New Yorker) exploration of whistleblowing in America, from the Revolutionary War to the Trump era
PROSE Award winner in the Government, Policy and Politics category
Misconduct by those in high places is always dangerous to reveal. Whistleblowers thus face conflicting impulses: by challenging and exposing transgressions by the powerful, they perform a vital public service–yet they always suffer for it. This episodic history brings to light how whistleblowing, an important but unrecognized cousin of civil disobedience, has held powerful elites accountable in America.
Analyzing a range of whistleblowing episodes, from the corrupt Revolutionary War commodore Esek Hopkins (whose dismissal led in 1778 to the first whistleblower protection law) to Edward Snowden, to the dishonesty of Donald Trump, Allison Stanger reveals the centrality of whistleblowing to the health of American democracy. She also shows that with changing technology and increasing militarization, the exposure of misconduct has grown more difficult to do and more personally costly for those who do it–yet American freedom, especially today, depends on it.
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