Political Science Notes: Social Movements

Announcements

  • Graduate Assistants:

    • Jordan is taking his big exams on Friday.
    • Ford just won a university award for excellence in graduate studies.

  • Next Exam:

    • Scheduled for Tuesday.
    • Review sheet is available online.
    • Exam material includes social movements and other topics discussed in class.

  • Optional Review Session:

    • Hosted by Jordan and Ford on Friday at 10 AM via Zoom.
    • Questions can be emailed to them if you cannot attend.

  • Extra Credit:

    • Due Thursday at 2 PM.
    • No extensions will be granted.

  • Final Exam:

    • Similar format to previous exams.
    • Will be conducted online, further details to be provided.

Social Movements Overview

  • Definition of Social Movements:

    • Loosely organized groups of people.
    • Act outside political institutions to promote or resist social change.
    • Essential characteristics:
    • Must involve a group (mass element).
    • Aim for political or social change.

  • Aims of Social Movements:

    • Can have either broad or specific goals.
    • Often involve people without direct ties to political power, typically considered outsiders.

  • Characteristics of Successful Social Movements:

    • Mass support and participation.
    • Cohesion within the group to prevent infighting.
    • Creative tactics and strategies for mobilization.
    • Influential leadership to guide and promote the movement.

Key Factors in Social Movement Success

  • Importance of Leadership:
    • Strong leaders can unify groups and articulate shared grievances.
  • Shared Sense of Grievance:
    • Collective understanding of issues that need change.
  • Need for a Catalyst Event:
    • Events that escalate grievances and unify participants can spark movements.
    • Example: Stonewall Riots in 1969 sparked the gay rights movement.
  • Examples of Catalyst Events in Civil Rights Movement:
    • Emmett Till incident and the Birmingham Church bombing propelled the movement forward.

Mechanisms of Organizing Social Movements

  • Collective Action:
    • Social movements utilize various unconventional tactics such as protests, boycotts, and civil disobedience.
  • Civil Disobedience:
    • Refusal to comply with unjust laws as a form of protest, intended to provoke change.
  • Types of Disruptive Tactics:
    • Protests, boycotts, strikes, sit-ins, riots, and various forms of media engagement.

Historical Examples of Social Movements

  • Civil Rights Movement:
    • Aims to end racial segregation and discrimination, successful in changing laws (e.g., Civil Rights Act).
  • Women's Suffrage Movement:
    • Fought for women's right to vote, culminating in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.
  • Labor Movement:
    • Aimed for better working conditions and the establishment of labor rights.
  • Anti-Vietnam War Movement:
    • Opposed U.S. involvement in Vietnam, significantly influenced public opinion and policy.

Women's Suffrage Movement Case Study

  • Conditions Pre-1900:

    • Women were denied voting rights and basic property rights.
    • Seen as dependent and less rational than men.

  • Organizing Strategies:

    • Women's conventions, meetings, and written grievances.
    • Centralized around the goal of suffrage between 1900-1920.

  • Opposition:

    • Strong arguments against suffrage based on perceived intellectual inferiority and the societal role of women.

  • Impact of Women’s Marches:

    • Created media attention and national conversations about women's rights.
    • Examples of women marching in the early 1900s captured public attention, shifting cultural attitudes.

  • Tactics Used:

    • Hunger strikes, public demonstrations, and strategic media engagement to push for political change.

Conclusion

  • Social movements are vital for enacting substantial societal changes.
  • Understanding the dynamics of organizing, the impact of leadership, and strategies employed can shed light on contemporary issues in politics.