In The World and U2: One Bandâs Remaking of Global Activism, Alan McPherson trains a historianâs eye on the evolution and influence of the bandâs activism from its formation in 1976 to its most recent album and concert tour. Throughout its nearly four decades, the band has held up a mirror to the increasing selfishness in the world while at the same time working to fill the void left by those who have abandoned the worldâs poor to their plight. From raising awareness about war and human rights in the 1980s to engaging in direct action in the 1990s to moving mountains of cash for the planetâs poorest in the twenty-first century, the band, and especially Bono, have both raised the bar and set the example for other celebrity activists. But it is also a success that has brought a greater scrutiny to bear on U2âs activism and initiated a healthy debate about the merits of Western development aid.
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