Understanding social movements today can be helped by looking back at important ideas from history. Here are some key lessons:
Collective Action Theory: This idea, first explained by Mancur Olson, says that people usually won't work together for a common cause unless they have something to gain. For example, when the Black Lives Matter protests happened in 2020, public support for fair treatment of all races went up by 15% among those who were surveyed.
Marxist Theory: This idea focuses on the struggle between different classes in society. Since 2008, there has been a growing gap between the rich and everyone else in the U.S. The top 10% of people hold 70% of the country's wealth. This situation has helped spark movements like Occupy Wall Street, which pointed out the problem of economic inequality.
Framing Theory: This concept, introduced by Erving Goffman, says how we present issues is very important. For example, 88% of people who took part in recent climate change protests believed that the way climate action was presented as an urgent need made them want to join in.
These ideas show us that working together, having clear beliefs, and sharing strong messages are very important for today's social movements.
Understanding social movements today can be helped by looking back at important ideas from history. Here are some key lessons:
Collective Action Theory: This idea, first explained by Mancur Olson, says that people usually won't work together for a common cause unless they have something to gain. For example, when the Black Lives Matter protests happened in 2020, public support for fair treatment of all races went up by 15% among those who were surveyed.
Marxist Theory: This idea focuses on the struggle between different classes in society. Since 2008, there has been a growing gap between the rich and everyone else in the U.S. The top 10% of people hold 70% of the country's wealth. This situation has helped spark movements like Occupy Wall Street, which pointed out the problem of economic inequality.
Framing Theory: This concept, introduced by Erving Goffman, says how we present issues is very important. For example, 88% of people who took part in recent climate change protests believed that the way climate action was presented as an urgent need made them want to join in.
These ideas show us that working together, having clear beliefs, and sharing strong messages are very important for today's social movements.