CHRONICLING SOCIAL ACTIVISM
The scholarly view of social movements has changed substantially over the past 100 years. Theorists and sociologists once held that social phenomena were random, emotional responses to poor living conditions and personal misfortune (Tilly and Wood 2012, 20). Based on this model, individuals who took part in social movements were seen as acting beyond the bounds of society, as alienated or “normless” agitators, even radicals (Tilly and Wood 2012, 21). In Social Movements, 1768-2012, Charles Tilly and Lesley J. Wood point out that this once-dominant perspective has changed significantly along with the progress of society. Tilly and Wood trace the development of more in-depth theories that take into account other factors that impact social movements, such as cultural elements and the group recruitment of new members. In the post-World-War-II era, theorists began concentrating more heavily on social movement organizations and on activists who sought to achieve specific political goals. Thus, as society grew and became more complex, sociologists began to see social movements as collective, collaborative actions adopted by like-minded individuals rather than as emotional responses to individual social problems.
Theorists came to see social activists as driven by resource allocation and by the potential benefits of their action. “Participants (were) characterized as purposeful and motivated on the basis of a calculation of the costs and benefits regarding participation, and having organizational structures in place are pre-requisites for action” (Tilly and Wood 2012, 22). This view of social phenomena evolved into a more external view, in which actors assessed the political environment before deciding on a course of action. Supporters of this construct argued that
CHRONICLING SOCIAL ACTIVISM
“agents evaluate the political environment and make calculations about the likely impact of their collective action” (Tilly and Wood 2012, 22). Political context is the guiding force behind this concept of social action, which constitutes a more realistic view of what can be accomplished.
Tilly and Wood also consider the historical aspects of social movements, which can be traced to the beginnings of capitalism in Western Europe and the advent of the Industrial Age. From there, movements are traced along a line of development that follows the spread of colonialism throughout the world. Social actors are seen as reflecting the circumstances against which they struggled, whether it was the inequities of an oppressive capital-labor relationship or the tyranny of the imperialist system. In the modern era, social movements have grown in both context and practice as the world has grown or, more specifically, as the economic and political ties between nations have tightened. For example, the activists who protested against the effects of globalization at World Bank meetings may have seemed over-ambitious and unfocused, but were just protesting on a scope that approximated the level of the threat they perceived.
Tilly and Wood also address the impact of technologies on social movements. Social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as bloggers, have become primary sources of information, group communication and coordination among social activists. As such, technology is a response to the “decentralized nature of power and resistance,” and continues to change and adapt in response to the dynamic and rapid change in the way people share ideas and promote their causes (Tilly and Wood 2012, 28). The new use of technology is the latest manifestation of larger changes in social movements.
CHRONICLING SOCIAL ACTIVISM
References
Tilly, C. and Wood, L.J. (2012). Social Movements, 1768-2012. Boulder, CO: Paradigm
Publishers.
