Social Movement Outcomes
Examples
• Movements such as IWA, Nazism, Women
Rights Movements, Anti Globalization
movements are a few examples of the
importance of social movements and
collective action for social change.
Right and Left
• The large scale changes produced by social
movements often depend on the political
spectrum- right and left.
• Right wing- are usually defeated in some
way-you can’t hold back the path of change.
• Left wing -grow with society, more
inclusive, more organized.
Suzanne Staggenborg
• The Social Movements
• Suzanne StaggenborgISBN13:
9780195375084ISBN10:
0195375084Paperback, 224 pagesJan
2010, In Stock
Protest Cycle of the 1960s
• Began in the 1950s, with the Civil Rights
Movement…
• Civil Rights Provided a model for
collective action that help spur on a number
of other protests including:
• Second Wave Feminism, Gay Rights,
Environmental Movement, and AntiGlobalization. (Aka Global Justice)
Macro level changes
• All social movement theories point to the
effects of large scale socio-economic and
political changes on the outcomes of social
movements.
• Social movement do not exist in a vacuum.
• As a result, many of the `inclusive’
movements we see today emerged during
the Protest Cycle of the 1960s’
1960s
• Were made from the 1950s…1950s a
conservative time, boys and girls in separate
compartments. (instrumental and
expressive role-see Parsons)
• Many were unaware of racial issues, gays
were definitely in the closet, environment
not a concern…Build more highway loaded
with litter…
For example
• The Civil Rights Movement-economic
changes and the urbanization of Black was
occurring. This allowed Black churches to
mobilize.
• In another example, it was demographic
changes, along with the Cold War and
problems of Vietnam that allow student of
the New Left to organize and be successful.
• Once the cycle of protest was underway,
new movements were inspired to organize.
• Civil Rights Movement inspired the follow
movements: Women’s movement, Gay
Liberation Movement, Environmental
Movement, Anti Globalization Movement
Women’s Movement
• Another movement inspired by the cycle of
protest in the 1960s.
• The Second Wave of the Feminist
movement was clearly aided by large scale
transformations such as the declining
birthrate and changes in labour market.
• No longer was the stay at home mom
economically possible for many.
• Women’s movements in Canada and the US
had significant success
• Staggenborg “their successes may partly
explain the relative decline in women’s
rights movments-insofar as women had
fewer grievances”
However
• The maintenance of Second Wave groups
and the Rise in Third Wave groups indicates
that on-going issues such as family
violence, reproductive rights continue to
mobilize some women.
• Also, the countermovement on issues such
as abortion and backlash literature has
meant the feminist groups continue to have
relevance.
Gay Liberation Movement
• The protest cycle of 1960s created greater
public space for sexual minorities
• Political opportunities such as the adoption
of the Charter of Rights helped
Canada
• Association for Social Knowledge 1964
gays and lesbian denied basic rights such as
employment
• By 1971, low key approach early gave rise
to Gay Liberation Movement
• Since 1971, lobbied for inclusion secured
human rights under the Charter 1982
• In 2005, became legal same-sex marriage
across Canada
Another Outcome
• The politics of gov’t that are more
centralized like the UK and Canada
• Have helped Gay Rights Movement-for
example, the Gay Pride Parade –make it
appear the the issue has been won.
• However, organizers continue to fight for
rights in countries such Russia and Iran.
Environment Movement
• The protest cycle of the 1960s, gave rise to
environmental movement.
• However, the widespread threats of toxic
waste, the destruction of forest, and global
warming continue to keep the
environmental movement alive.
• Dump
• Hooker Chemical had sold the site to
the Niagara Falls School Board in 1953
for $1, with a deed explicitly detailing
the presence of the waste,[1] and
including a liability limitation clause
about the contamination.
This movement continues:
• Political opening such in Canada and
Germany
• Support in the number of Green Parties
• Have had support however, as they become
institutionalized and bureaucratized, they
have had less impact.
• However, the movement seeks to tackle
global capitalism,
• building more democracy
• Equitable Relations
• Reform political economic structure.
Rethink neoliberal
policies
• To rethink the current global
economic and social policies and
to recommit ourselves to the
human rights principles
Basic Rights
•
• Every woman, man, youth and child has
the human right to a secure home
and community in which to live in
peace and dignity. This human right has
received global recognition and is firmly
established in a number of international
human rights instruments,[4] most
notably in the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights
Global Issues
• Globalisation and the process of
increasing economic integration
have limited the capacity of States
to provide adequate resources
for fulfilling the economic, social
and cultural rights of their
citizens, including housing and
essential social services.
Privatisation.
• Increased competition among
cities to attract capital and
businesses for generating
employment and sources of tax
revenues has led to widening
inequalities between cities, with
consequent discrepancies in the
level of essential services provided
to citizens.
Global Dialectic-conflict view
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bourgeoisie/Proletariat
Haves and Have Nots
First and Third World
Strong (competitive) weak (dependent)
Critical- control and domination
Ie. David Korten
Alternative agenda
• In defining an alternative agenda of anti'globalization' or 'anti-capitalism', the mass
mobilizations have put the institutions on
the defensive
Single Movement?
• Mobilizations springs from their everyday disgust
at the dull compulsion of a world dominated by
capital: a world of work, ecological destruction,
poverty etc.
• Single movement is the fact of multiple and
contradictory agendas in and around the
mobilizations.
• The emphasis on 'globalization' versus
'capitalism' typically reflects profound
differences of analysis, approach and, at bottom,
class position