Initiative to Movement:
Reclaiming Futures as a
Case Study
Laura Nissen, PhD.
National Program Director
nissen@pdx.edu
Purpose of the Webinar
1.
To challenge the Reclaiming Futures community to
consider its identity in terms of past, present and future
social change targets.
2.
To explore definitions, history and present day context of
social movements overall and those pertaining to youth
specifically.
3.
To invite leadership and build momentum for developing
a “movement” agenda for the present and future.
reclaimingfutures.org
What is a social movement?
…can be viewed as collective enterprises
seeking to establish a new order of life. They
have their inception as a condition of unrest,
and derive their motive power on one hand
from dissatisfaction with the current form of
life, and on the other hand, from wishes and
hopes for a new system of living. The career
of a social movement depicts the emergence
of a new order of life. Blumer, 1969, p. 99
reclaimingfutures.org
Social movements are…
…best conceived as public spaces and
moments of collective creation that provide
societies with ideas, identities, and even
ideals. Eyerman & Jamison, 1991, p.4
reclaimingfutures.org
Contentious politics occurs…
…when ordinary people, often in league with
more influential citizens, join forces in
confrontation with elites, authorities and
opponents. When backed by dense social
networks and galvanized by culturally
resonant, action-oriented symbols, contentious
politics leads to sustained interaction with
opponents. Tarrow, 1998, p.2
reclaimingfutures.org
Social movements are…
Informal social networks, based on
-Shared beliefs and solidarity, which mobilize
about
-Conflictual issues through,
-The frequent use of various forms of protest.
-
Della Porta and Diani, 1999, p. 16.
reclaimingfutures.org
Examples of Social Movements in
U.S. History
Abolitionist movement
2.Women’s movement
3.Anti-racist movement
4.Civil rights movement
5.Environmental and green movements
6.Pro- and anti-abortion movements
1.
reclaimingfutures.org
Reclaiming Futures Basics
Began as an initiative of the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation in 2000.
2.Focus on re-creating systems of care and
opportunity for young people in trouble with
drugs and the law.
3.Spread from 10 to 26 communities around the
U.S. in 9 years.
4.Now engaged with multiple federal partners
and new philanthropic investments.
1.
reclaimingfutures.org
Juxtaposting Goals of Initiatives Vs.
Movements
Initiative
Movement
Implementing programs
Action on social problems
Development of standards
Development of advocacy
Systems change
Social change
Professionally-driven (managed)
Grassroots-driven (managed)
Building organizations
Building networks and alliances
Coalescing to a plan
Disrupting disparities and oppression
Implementing and improving
Agitating and mobilizing
Implementation science
Political science
Phases of a Social Movement
Social unrest
2.Elementary behavior – milling, collective
excitement, and social contagion
3.Collective effervescence
1.
- Blumer, 1986
reclaimingfutures.org
Mechanisms of Social Movements
- Agitation – jarring people free of their customary way of thinking
and have aroused within them, new impulses and wishes.
- Esprit de Corps – development of collective agency – basic
repertoire of behaviors and sentiments
1.Development of Morale – development of sense of conviction
about rightness of endeavor in its values and mission
2.Formation of Group Ideology – discursive formulation of the beliefs
of the group, a diagnosis of present conditions, a response to
potential critics, and a coherent vision of a solution. Goal of an
ideology is to persuade.
3.Tactics – actions that respond to unique aspects of the goals of the
movement and the dynamics of a situation-specific struggle.
- Blumer, 1986
reclaimingfutures.org
Reclaiming Futures…
Has brought many of these ideas to life in our
work
-But have not explicitly explored a “movement”
agenda (we’ve called it “spread,”
“dissemination,” and “communications”)
-Has an opportunity to “go to the next level” in
terms of inspiring and igniting community
activism, particularly for mature sites.
-
reclaimingfutures.org
Thinking About Alliances…
There are many potential groups explictly
engaged in movement work as related to youth
work:
-Juvenile justice reform
-Recovery movement
-Anti-drug community coalitions
-Disparities movement
-Anti-poverty movement
reclaimingfutures.org
Our strengths and needs in
expanding our “movement” capacity
Accomplishments:
-Project Connect (national and state-level)
-Local and national communications agendas
-Grassroots ownership
-Synergy with other youth-related community
development issues
- Others?
reclaimingfutures.org
Questions to consider:
Is a “social movement” identity a necessary
part of our evolution as a whole?
-If so, what are steps sites should take to
engage in that process (in a new way or to get
to the next level)?
-What are steps the NPO could/should take to
begin to support this?
-
reclaimingfutures.org
Our opportunity moving forward…
What should our agenda look like?
Who should organize this?
Next steps?
reclaimingfutures.org