This text addresses one of the most important social movements of the 1990s - the civil and student peace demonstrations in Belgrade during the winter of 1996/97. The demonstrations, the largest ever in history, were in response to Milosevic's nullifying of the results of local elections in fourteen towns in Serbia and created global media attention and worldwide sympathy. This comprehensive study, on a society asking for democracy, is based on interviews with over 1000 civilians and students. It analyses the basic empirical findings of the research and examines specific sociological aspects such as class/intellectual composition, political/social values and rationales. A chronology of events is also included. The text comprises of ten chapters dealing with the various aspects of civil and student protests, the research being carried out and completed while the demonstrations were still in progress and before the outcome of events was known. The text provides valuable information for the analysts of post-socialist transformation as well as researchers of social movements and social change, and for all those concerned with the events in Southeast Europe.