????《幫助》（The Help）一書的作者凱瑟琳?史托基特。這位名不見經(jīng)傳的作者“盡管被拒絕了60次，但依然鍥而不舍地為她的小說尋找出版商，表現(xiàn)出了超強的意志力?！边@本書出版于2010年，但史托基特之所以入選本年度的榜單，是因為2011年根據(jù)這部小說改編的電影獲得了1.69億美元的票房，進而成為本年度最賣座的影片之一。而且，“她寫的還是弱勢者的故事?！?/p>

????紐約州的同性婚姻支持者。他們在2011年的勝利說明了肖瓦爾特所稱“手眼通天的皈依者”的重要性。弱勢者要想在政治領(lǐng)域獲勝，就必須說服少數(shù)握有權(quán)勢、猶豫不決甚至站在對立陣營的人支持自己的事業(yè)。共和黨大佬保羅?辛格爾、卡利夫?阿斯內(nèi)斯和丹?勒布先后加盟，并說服幾位關(guān)鍵的州議員之后，這項運動終于達成所愿，獲得了立法通過。

????茶黨。2010年，茶黨改變了國會的格局，之后，“他們的領(lǐng)袖依然讓團隊注重結(jié)果，即選舉認同茶黨理念的議員，”肖瓦爾特指出?！安椟h繼續(xù)影響著華盛頓政界談話、制定戰(zhàn)略和投票的方式。”

????那么，占領(lǐng)華爾街運動呢？肖瓦爾特說，這場運動是她在2012年重點觀察的弱勢者。但到目前為止，占領(lǐng)華爾街運動缺乏一個連貫的行動計劃。此外，它還需要贏得“手眼通天的皈依者”支持。

????“關(guān)于如何影響當權(quán)者的眾多研究表明，能說會道的領(lǐng)袖往往能給人們留下深刻的印象，”她說?！傲硗?，如果占領(lǐng)者能像茶黨人那樣，在集會之后將場地收拾干凈，或許也可以幫助他們贏得公眾的支持?！?/p>

????Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help. The previously unknown writer "showed grit in pursuing a publisher for her novel despite 60 rejections." The book came out in 2010, but Stockett makes the list this year because the 2011 movie version grossed over $169 million, making it one of the year's top hits -- and besides, "she writes about underdogs."

????New York gay marriage advocates. Their victory in 2011 illustrates the importance of what Showalter calls "connected converts." For underdogs to prevail in politics, they need to persuade a few powerful people, who've been undecided or opposed in the past, to take up their cause. When Republican Party bigwigs Paul Singer, Cliff Asness, and Dan Loeb got on board and helped sway key state legislators, the movement achieved its goal of legalization.

????The Tea Party. After changing the composition of Congress in 2010, "their team leaders keep them focused on results, that is, on electing lawmakers who agree with them," Showalter notes. "Tea Partiers continue to affect how the powerful in Washington talk, strategize, and vote."

????What about Occupy Wall Street? Showalter says the movement is on her radar as an underdog to watch in 2012, but so far, OWS lacks a coherent action plan and, moreover, needs to win "connected converts" over to its side.

????"The research on how to influence people in power all shows that they are impressed by an articulate leader," she notes. "It might also help win public support if the Occupiers, like the Tea Party people, cleaned up after their rallies."