Social movements

   Social movements

   General Concepts

• Social change
• Activism
• Protest
• Civil disobedience
• Community organizing

   Types of Movements

• Civil rights movement
• Environmental movement
• Labor movement
• Peace movement
• Women's movement
• LGBT rights movement

   Key Events

• March on Washington
• Stonewall riots
• Salt March
• Earth Day

   Notable Figures

• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Mahatma Gandhi
• Rosa Parks
• Malcolm X
• Greta Thunberg

   Related Topics

• Social movement theory
• Political revolution
• Nonviolent resistance

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Social movements are large, sometimes informal, groupings of individuals or organizations which focus on specific political or social issues. They carry out, resist, or undo a social change. Modern Western social movements became possible through education (the wider dissemination of literature) and increased mobility of labor due to the industrialization and urbanization of 19th-century societies.

Definition and Distinctions

A social movement is a coordinated group action focused on a political or social issue. Unlike political parties, which are formally organized, social movements tend to arise spontaneously and may not have a formal structure or membership. They are distinguished from special interest groups by their broader goals and the fact that they often mobilize on a grassroots level.

Types of Social Movements

Social movements can be categorized based on their goals, tactics, and the level of change they seek. Some common types include:

• Reform movements aim for partial change of the existing social system.
• Revolutionary movements seek to completely change the entire social system.
• Redemptive movements focus on a specific group, advocating for total change in individual lives.
• Resistance movements strive to prevent or undo change to the social structures.

Examples of Social Movements

• The Civil Rights Movement in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, which aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans.
• The Feminist Movement, which seeks to address issues of gender inequality.
• The Environmental Movement, which emerged in the 1970s and advocates for environmental protection and sustainability.

Dynamics of Social Movements

Social movements often evolve through a series of stages:

• Emergence: The social problem is identified and the movement begins.
• Coalescence: Resources are mobilized and concrete action is taken.
• Bureaucratization: The movement becomes more organized and may adopt a formal structure.
• Decline: Movements may decline due to success, failure, co-optation, repression, or mainstream acceptance.

Impact of Social Movements

Social movements can have a profound impact on society. They can lead to significant changes in laws and policies, reshape cultural norms, and influence the direction of political systems. For example, the Civil Rights Movement led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the United States, which was a landmark in anti-discrimination legislation.

Challenges Facing Social Movements

Social movements face various challenges, including:

• Lack of resources: Financial, human, and material resources can be limited.
• Opposition: Governments or other powerful groups may oppose the movement’s goals.
• Internal discord: Conflicts within the movement over strategies or leadership can impede progress.

See Also

• Political activism
• Nonviolent resistance
• Social change