The Struggle for Tiananmen: Anatomy of the 1989 Mass Movement

This work examines the events of the spring 1989 Tiananmen Square tragedy. Lin argues that the mass movement, which climaxed in Beijing, can be understood only if attention is given to the external environment that provided both opportunities and constraints to the interactions of participating groups, to the shifting participants and their goals and interests, and to the historical and cultural factors that guided the behavior of those participants.

Unlike other works on this topic, The Struggle for Tiananmen analyzes the movement from its beginning to its end--presenting the entire process, providing information from both the authorities and non-student participants.