There were a number of really interesting presentations today
a few really struck me because of personal interest in the movement and some just because they were so different!
The first presentation that was really informative was the Picken's plan. I had actually heard of this and signed an online petition, but I really didn't know the details of the plan. So that was a great presentation to hear about. I also think it would be interesting to look at Picken's himself, he seems to be an interesting character.
I already did a blog about the weather underground and again just noting they are a really fascinating movement! especially hearing the interviews of members now, who talk about the personal investment they put into the movement; and how they still feel that everything they did was right.
The last two movements were really interesting guess I just have some logistical questions about "freeganism". Like how do they get medical attention, or where do they give birth to children? Also I think that it would be interesting to see the opinions of people who are homeless and poverty stricken, not by choice, how would they react to what the "freegans" are doing, and what they stand for?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Act up
Just remembered that I meant to say something about the group Act Up....this is a really fascinating organization for AIDS/HIV and GLBT rights. I think their emphasis in symbolic art is really interesting and effective in their movement. As the girl mentioned they are often extreme in their action, rhetoric and symbols...I wonder if this had been toned down would they have been more effective, because perhaps they could have lasted longer. Or I guess maintained a constant voice in the media?
Act up
Just remembered that I meant to say something about the group Act Up....this is a really fascinating organization for AIDS/HIV and GLBT rights. I think their emphasis in symbolic art is really interesting and effective in their movement. As the girl mentioned they are often extreme in their action, rhetoric and symbols...I wonder if this had been toned down would they have been more effective, because perhaps they could have lasted longer. Or I guess maintained a constant voice in the media?
Friday, December 5, 2008
presentations 1
The group of Feminist/ Suffrage presenters brought up a number of interesting groups, facts and ideas that I had not yet been introduced too (and some that I had heard of but didn't know as much about). I thought this group also did a great job of identifying issues and ideas that aren't your typical "feminist" research options.
The paper about 3rd was feminism was really interesting. I took a woman studies class a few semesters ago and we talked about a lot of things, but this was one topic we didn't really have time to address. I think the ability of this movement to shift and "keep up with the time" is incredible, also the shift in membership and member identity/ focus. Now that the movement focuses on women of multiracial and multinational identities and back grounds.
One aspect of the pro-life movement which really struck me, and I had never heard of before was the "die-in", in reference to the sit-ins of the civil rights. This tactic is really interesting and I would like to know more about it, how effective is it in "scaring" people or interesting potential new members? I don't know how I would feel to see this happen. Also one of the girls mentioned a book called Iron Jawed Angles? wrote it in my notes but wasn't sure which movement this was associated with.
Finally the Suffrage movement is something that I should know more about but really it is just not well studied or addressed in many mainstream history classes. I didn't know that originally it was attatched with the abolitionist movement (although this makes a lot of sense). It was interesting to hear this part of the presentation because later that night I actually had a conversation with a JMU French professor, who told be that it was only 50 years ago (or something like that) when women gained the right to vote in France. Her grandmother was alive and recounted the story of the first time she could vote, this was amazing to think about!
The paper about 3rd was feminism was really interesting. I took a woman studies class a few semesters ago and we talked about a lot of things, but this was one topic we didn't really have time to address. I think the ability of this movement to shift and "keep up with the time" is incredible, also the shift in membership and member identity/ focus. Now that the movement focuses on women of multiracial and multinational identities and back grounds.
One aspect of the pro-life movement which really struck me, and I had never heard of before was the "die-in", in reference to the sit-ins of the civil rights. This tactic is really interesting and I would like to know more about it, how effective is it in "scaring" people or interesting potential new members? I don't know how I would feel to see this happen. Also one of the girls mentioned a book called Iron Jawed Angles? wrote it in my notes but wasn't sure which movement this was associated with.
Finally the Suffrage movement is something that I should know more about but really it is just not well studied or addressed in many mainstream history classes. I didn't know that originally it was attatched with the abolitionist movement (although this makes a lot of sense). It was interesting to hear this part of the presentation because later that night I actually had a conversation with a JMU French professor, who told be that it was only 50 years ago (or something like that) when women gained the right to vote in France. Her grandmother was alive and recounted the story of the first time she could vote, this was amazing to think about!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
MLK "Letter From Birmingham Jail"
Martin Luther King's letter was and still extremely powerful and moving. It is clear here the degree of his intellegence and ability as an writer (and inextricably as an orrator).
I believe that these men who wrote to him saying his cause was "unwise and untimely" were writing this in hopes that no one would ever know of their letter, and that the movement would quiet down.
Martin Luther King completely blows this idea out of the water. He does this however with a respectful tone of disagreement. This letter when read by the public becomes a guide for those in the civil rights movement who may feel that there work is not "going the way they want" or just not moving quick enough for whatever reason.
I think a number of his sections are so moving, so eloquently writing and so undeniably intelligent that the men whom he was responding to, must have been some what awestruck.
One of these sections is about how to define a law as "just or unjust". Here as in so many places not just in this letter, MLK makes the fight not about black or white, not about male or female, not about rich or poor. It is about something more than that, something that is basic to our human existence. MLK quotes Thomas Aquinas and other legal philosophies, but I find this simple statement to be undeniable, "Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust."
It is comments like this that make MLK so effective. He succeeds in what I believe was his purpose of letting these men know that some "note" will not stop this movement because we all have waited much too long. Also to let his followers know that now is not "unwise or untimely" because for the oppressed there is no such thing as wise or timely when confronting ones oppressor. Instead the movement must push harder and become stronger and continue to succeed.
I believe that these men who wrote to him saying his cause was "unwise and untimely" were writing this in hopes that no one would ever know of their letter, and that the movement would quiet down.
Martin Luther King completely blows this idea out of the water. He does this however with a respectful tone of disagreement. This letter when read by the public becomes a guide for those in the civil rights movement who may feel that there work is not "going the way they want" or just not moving quick enough for whatever reason.
I think a number of his sections are so moving, so eloquently writing and so undeniably intelligent that the men whom he was responding to, must have been some what awestruck.
One of these sections is about how to define a law as "just or unjust". Here as in so many places not just in this letter, MLK makes the fight not about black or white, not about male or female, not about rich or poor. It is about something more than that, something that is basic to our human existence. MLK quotes Thomas Aquinas and other legal philosophies, but I find this simple statement to be undeniable, "Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust."
It is comments like this that make MLK so effective. He succeeds in what I believe was his purpose of letting these men know that some "note" will not stop this movement because we all have waited much too long. Also to let his followers know that now is not "unwise or untimely" because for the oppressed there is no such thing as wise or timely when confronting ones oppressor. Instead the movement must push harder and become stronger and continue to succeed.
Monday, November 10, 2008
pentecostal vist..."praise Jesus"
Went to a Pentecostal church service with my boyfriend, for one of his classes, and found politics and religion coinciding into a social movement. His interest in this subject actually sparked my interest in this group and is why I chose to focus on the Evangelical movement for my case study.
Found the service to be FULL of interesting behaviors and attitudes especially towards the government. Including what sounding like a good bit of distrust with the new President Elect, and a HUGE lack of faith in his ability to lead this country. Also as with many/most Americans a great amount of fear about the economic future of this nation. Throughout his sermon the pastor was discussing the root of "problems" and how to "solve" them.
The pastor mentioned Obama and his perceived in ability to follow the "rules" of problem solving as laid out by this church. The pastor also alluded to another political issue very very briefly...abortion or teen pregnancy. In accordance to there emphasis on family he said, "if you are man enough to make the baby, you better be man enough to take the baby". This provided for a VERY awkward moment for my boyfriend and I seeing as we were the ONLY two people there who were unmarried.
Overall this was an eye opening experience for a number of reasons, it was very interesting to see how religion not only infiltrates state, but state infiltrates religion.
Found the service to be FULL of interesting behaviors and attitudes especially towards the government. Including what sounding like a good bit of distrust with the new President Elect, and a HUGE lack of faith in his ability to lead this country. Also as with many/most Americans a great amount of fear about the economic future of this nation. Throughout his sermon the pastor was discussing the root of "problems" and how to "solve" them.
The pastor mentioned Obama and his perceived in ability to follow the "rules" of problem solving as laid out by this church. The pastor also alluded to another political issue very very briefly...abortion or teen pregnancy. In accordance to there emphasis on family he said, "if you are man enough to make the baby, you better be man enough to take the baby". This provided for a VERY awkward moment for my boyfriend and I seeing as we were the ONLY two people there who were unmarried.
Overall this was an eye opening experience for a number of reasons, it was very interesting to see how religion not only infiltrates state, but state infiltrates religion.
election
A late reflection.
The most important thing that I got from this election (especially since it was my first) was not just the win of my candidate.
But the feeling of success, and importance and meaning of MY vote and that of my peers.
It was monumental to be a part of this
My hope for the future....
is that my generation keeps up the momentum we have gathered behind OBAMA and apply it to other issues.
keep the change going, can't wait to see what happens next!
The most important thing that I got from this election (especially since it was my first) was not just the win of my candidate.
But the feeling of success, and importance and meaning of MY vote and that of my peers.
It was monumental to be a part of this
My hope for the future....
is that my generation keeps up the momentum we have gathered behind OBAMA and apply it to other issues.
keep the change going, can't wait to see what happens next!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
law and order
There was an episode of Law and Order which portrayed an interesting social movement.
The deaf community was protesting this doctor, typical stuff picket lines etc. outside his house, but what was interesting was their reasoning. Instead of the doctor perhaps saying something derogitory about the community instead they were mad because he was providing a surgery for certain clients which would give them back most or all of their hearing. The community was upset because by telling clients that they no longer had to "struggle" with being deaf, he was isolating the community and portraying deafness as a bad thing which needs to be fixed. Just an interesting inversion of thought.
The deaf community was protesting this doctor, typical stuff picket lines etc. outside his house, but what was interesting was their reasoning. Instead of the doctor perhaps saying something derogitory about the community instead they were mad because he was providing a surgery for certain clients which would give them back most or all of their hearing. The community was upset because by telling clients that they no longer had to "struggle" with being deaf, he was isolating the community and portraying deafness as a bad thing which needs to be fixed. Just an interesting inversion of thought.
weather underground
After our discussion about the Weather Underground and SDS in reference to the Adair article I went online and watched the rest of the documentary. I was really fascinating for a number of reasons.
The fact that the Weather Underground was a faction of SDS that was connected to them through the media despite differing views, reduced SDS credibility to nothing. It was really interesting to watch this "take over" and to hear the opinions about it from both sides withing the organization. A great phrase was used by a former SDS member referring to the take over as, "organizational piracy". I thought that was a great line, and really shows the animosity that some SDS member held for the weather underground.
As the documentary continues I think the biggest element that lead to the early success of the weathermen was the historical context and problems occurring in their favor.
All around this groups of students they were seeing images of death, war and poverty. Vietnam was the first time live images of war, real images of war were being replayed over and over through the mass media. In other countries than Vietnam these same images could be found, even in the US. Historically it was a time of chaos and a period of revolution around the world.
This provided the weatherman with a symbolic slogan, "bring the war home", a slogan that enmodied this movement. Like in the Mcgee article which says that symbols used by a movement are crucial to it's success, I think this slogan and the media that the weathermen were putting our motivated a young audience...at first very successful, but as the group becomes radical they lose credibility. They used the bombings not as a way of being violent but rather as a symbol, a way of showing those in power, and every American where the flaws in our society were by bombing representative buildings. I think that it is interesting because this is a really overt symbol which displays that goal of "bringing the war home" yet I think the radicalness of it was just too detrimental to the groups membership to ever be as successful as they would have wanted.
As a final fact, like we have talked about in class new social movements connecting to the past; the use of linkages. I think that the use of McCain's allegations that Obama is "buddy buddy" with Bill Ayres and thus he is a terrorist is very interesting. Not sure how detrimental this was or will be to Obama's campaign.
Just think that it's important for people to realize who Bill Ayres was, what he was doing in the 60's and 70's but most important why. As well as the fact that in any other country in the world if this movement had happened it would have probably turned out much worse for all involved, these people were able to speak out against the American government and act out against them with mild repercussions.
The fact that the Weather Underground was a faction of SDS that was connected to them through the media despite differing views, reduced SDS credibility to nothing. It was really interesting to watch this "take over" and to hear the opinions about it from both sides withing the organization. A great phrase was used by a former SDS member referring to the take over as, "organizational piracy". I thought that was a great line, and really shows the animosity that some SDS member held for the weather underground.
As the documentary continues I think the biggest element that lead to the early success of the weathermen was the historical context and problems occurring in their favor.
All around this groups of students they were seeing images of death, war and poverty. Vietnam was the first time live images of war, real images of war were being replayed over and over through the mass media. In other countries than Vietnam these same images could be found, even in the US. Historically it was a time of chaos and a period of revolution around the world.
This provided the weatherman with a symbolic slogan, "bring the war home", a slogan that enmodied this movement. Like in the Mcgee article which says that symbols used by a movement are crucial to it's success, I think this slogan and the media that the weathermen were putting our motivated a young audience...at first very successful, but as the group becomes radical they lose credibility. They used the bombings not as a way of being violent but rather as a symbol, a way of showing those in power, and every American where the flaws in our society were by bombing representative buildings. I think that it is interesting because this is a really overt symbol which displays that goal of "bringing the war home" yet I think the radicalness of it was just too detrimental to the groups membership to ever be as successful as they would have wanted.
As a final fact, like we have talked about in class new social movements connecting to the past; the use of linkages. I think that the use of McCain's allegations that Obama is "buddy buddy" with Bill Ayres and thus he is a terrorist is very interesting. Not sure how detrimental this was or will be to Obama's campaign.
Just think that it's important for people to realize who Bill Ayres was, what he was doing in the 60's and 70's but most important why. As well as the fact that in any other country in the world if this movement had happened it would have probably turned out much worse for all involved, these people were able to speak out against the American government and act out against them with mild repercussions.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Npr forum
The other day while I was driving there was a forum discussion on NPR titled "Voice's: Listening, Connecting and Amplifying".... (I took some notes, while driving, so they are a little hard to discern). The jist of the discussion was looking at different routes of technology and how different 'voices' are being heard, which one's we need to listen to more consistently and what the future of communication looks like.
At one point one of the speakers was discussing the idea similar to that which we have discussed in class about setting up a social discourse. He was specifically referring to "An Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore. He was making the point that 20 years ago no one knew really what global warming was or had an opinion on it. The fact that Al was able to A. make a 'power point' B. present it to an audience and C. was able to mass produce and sell it has created a whole new social discourse about global warming.
AND as we said in class this is one form or part of social movements.
One other interesting comment:
In class we have briefly mentioned facebook as it pertains to social movements, just a fact from this forum over 11 million youth have been mobilized by facebook in the past year.
Interesting to note: today while I was at work a man in his 40's and I were talking about the election and he made a comment (he has lived in Harrisonburg for a while, and drives for FedEx) that it seems like way more college students are interested and involved in this election that he has remember in past one's. We talked about a number of reasons for this including the difficulty and un-security in the job market, as well as the general appeal of Obama...just interesting to note his observation and the facebook statistic.
At one point one of the speakers was discussing the idea similar to that which we have discussed in class about setting up a social discourse. He was specifically referring to "An Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore. He was making the point that 20 years ago no one knew really what global warming was or had an opinion on it. The fact that Al was able to A. make a 'power point' B. present it to an audience and C. was able to mass produce and sell it has created a whole new social discourse about global warming.
AND as we said in class this is one form or part of social movements.
One other interesting comment:
In class we have briefly mentioned facebook as it pertains to social movements, just a fact from this forum over 11 million youth have been mobilized by facebook in the past year.
Interesting to note: today while I was at work a man in his 40's and I were talking about the election and he made a comment (he has lived in Harrisonburg for a while, and drives for FedEx) that it seems like way more college students are interested and involved in this election that he has remember in past one's. We talked about a number of reasons for this including the difficulty and un-security in the job market, as well as the general appeal of Obama...just interesting to note his observation and the facebook statistic.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
"Harland county USA"
After reading the Thompson, the Rose articles there were a number of interesting connection between these theories and the movement in Harland county.
The biggest dilemma I had was without know exactly whether the movement was "successful" it was hard to judge which theories applied.
so I decided to look at more as a blend or spectrum.
We have talked about in class the difference between new and old movements. It was interesting to see Rose's theory delve deeper into new v. old and middled-class v. working class. He talked about the effect of the production process on the structure of social movements. Dependent upon your class, and place in production process determines your values and willingness to mobilize for a specific movement.
This brings in the idea of rules and legitimacy from Thompson. He says that rules define what actions mean, and the key process looks at making these rules seem "natural" to a group. (p. 380) I think that one way in Harland county that the organizers of the group made this happen was exemplified in the conversation with the police officer in NY, he is shocked by the condition that the Harland miner work in and under.
This conversation also represents and important point in Rose's article, that is the idea that class cultures evolve as historical conditions change and as people's strategies develop in response to members of own and other class over time.(474)
Again without knowing all of the details of the ending of movie, I think that the by appealing to another class through more broad interests (as apposed to narrow material ones') such as general safety on the job, health care for one's self and family or general satisfaction for one's job the Harland county miners will be much more successful in mobilizing people from their own class structure as well as others. Rose points out the difference in structures as such (p476)
Professional: Working:
mid-class regulated by direct reward/punishment system
specialized skill search for autonomy results in daily battle with authority
autonomy
flexible work place
desirable environment
Thompson talks about making rules seem natural as a way to manipulate movement, Harland's miners appealed to the professional or middle class (and those who represent them) by saying, "hey, these are the things that you expect everyday you go to work. We don't get any of them. This isn't just about money, it's about human rights."
As Rose states on page 488. "class delineates the form a movement takes", thus the Harland miners movement is most similar to a Class-Culture movement.
After reading the Thompson, the Rose articles there were a number of interesting connection between these theories and the movement in Harland county.
The biggest dilemma I had was without know exactly whether the movement was "successful" it was hard to judge which theories applied.
so I decided to look at more as a blend or spectrum.
We have talked about in class the difference between new and old movements. It was interesting to see Rose's theory delve deeper into new v. old and middled-class v. working class. He talked about the effect of the production process on the structure of social movements. Dependent upon your class, and place in production process determines your values and willingness to mobilize for a specific movement.
This brings in the idea of rules and legitimacy from Thompson. He says that rules define what actions mean, and the key process looks at making these rules seem "natural" to a group. (p. 380) I think that one way in Harland county that the organizers of the group made this happen was exemplified in the conversation with the police officer in NY, he is shocked by the condition that the Harland miner work in and under.
This conversation also represents and important point in Rose's article, that is the idea that class cultures evolve as historical conditions change and as people's strategies develop in response to members of own and other class over time.(474)
Again without knowing all of the details of the ending of movie, I think that the by appealing to another class through more broad interests (as apposed to narrow material ones') such as general safety on the job, health care for one's self and family or general satisfaction for one's job the Harland county miners will be much more successful in mobilizing people from their own class structure as well as others. Rose points out the difference in structures as such (p476)
Professional: Working:
mid-class regulated by direct reward/punishment system
specialized skill search for autonomy results in daily battle with authority
autonomy
flexible work place
desirable environment
Thompson talks about making rules seem natural as a way to manipulate movement, Harland's miners appealed to the professional or middle class (and those who represent them) by saying, "hey, these are the things that you expect everyday you go to work. We don't get any of them. This isn't just about money, it's about human rights."
As Rose states on page 488. "class delineates the form a movement takes", thus the Harland miners movement is most similar to a Class-Culture movement.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Post one
After going through the reading a number of thoughts and questions have come up for me, most of which have to do with the book (Della Porta and Diani, and the Jasper article on the role of emotion in social movements and protesting.)
At first I had a really hard time getting through Della Porta and Diani (from here on referred to D&D for typing purposes). The explanations and organization of all the different theories or methods which social movements are studied was difficult to get through; which is unfortunate because i think that the evolution of this study (as well as the youth of it) is very interesting.
After muddling through the first chapter, the second was MUCH better, The use of the specific example in the front was a great way to remember the chapter and topics discussed in it as well as a great on going example!
It was in this chapter that I also had some question and more so some relating experiences?
First, the overall topic of the French example (unemployment) really struck a chord with me. Last year in my 248 class we had a group come and speak to us about unemployment in the US. The presentation was phenomenal! This was not a group of yuppies trying to help people for the sake of looking good, not a church group looking for handouts and not some board looking for a vote. This group was found by and for the homeless and unemployed; they focus on mobilizing their "constituency" to protest and lobby local officials in DC to get change for their movement. The stories of these people were amazing.
A specific quote really reminded me of these people, "Mobilization provided a challenge to the image of unemployment as an individual problem and consequently the social stigma attached to it."(pg 34)
This group shared their very personal stories to us (as well as in their newspaper written by local homeless and unemployed persons, and given or sold to the public in DC, money going to their cause) in order to show people that their situation was on some level and individual struggle, but also one inextricably linked with the social struggle of our society.
In class we talk about whether or not a movement is successful, well this one is (or at least i think so) my views and beliefs on homelessness and unemployment are changed, and my actions have also been affected (the last time is was in DC I met one of the paper vendors, bought a paper and proceeded to explain the cause to my boyfriend and later my family)
The other reading, by Jasper discussing the emotions of protests was also just very interesting. I thought that our discussion in class about why people join movement was very relevant because I believe (as Jasper says) that emotions and social movement are inextricably connected. As I was reading that article I thought about something that I did today, while in Petsmart I donated a dollar to local a.s.p.c.a. Why? well first I am an animal lover, and knowing that their are people out there who hurt or mistreat animals angers and saddens me, thus making me much more willing to act (not to mention and commercial with Sarah Mclachlan with all the sad animals, kills me every time!). So this article also seemed to hit home on the level.
Finally I just had a question or thought I guess about emotions during an election year. While for the most part I avoid political conversations like its my job, listening to them can be fascinating. People get so fired up about someone they don't know, or about one little fact. Also the use of fear in campaigning, and the sense of membership and affiliation (like Jasper discussed about neighborhoods) how that fluctuates or doesn't during an election year?
At first I had a really hard time getting through Della Porta and Diani (from here on referred to D&D for typing purposes). The explanations and organization of all the different theories or methods which social movements are studied was difficult to get through; which is unfortunate because i think that the evolution of this study (as well as the youth of it) is very interesting.
After muddling through the first chapter, the second was MUCH better, The use of the specific example in the front was a great way to remember the chapter and topics discussed in it as well as a great on going example!
It was in this chapter that I also had some question and more so some relating experiences?
First, the overall topic of the French example (unemployment) really struck a chord with me. Last year in my 248 class we had a group come and speak to us about unemployment in the US. The presentation was phenomenal! This was not a group of yuppies trying to help people for the sake of looking good, not a church group looking for handouts and not some board looking for a vote. This group was found by and for the homeless and unemployed; they focus on mobilizing their "constituency" to protest and lobby local officials in DC to get change for their movement. The stories of these people were amazing.
A specific quote really reminded me of these people, "Mobilization provided a challenge to the image of unemployment as an individual problem and consequently the social stigma attached to it."(pg 34)
This group shared their very personal stories to us (as well as in their newspaper written by local homeless and unemployed persons, and given or sold to the public in DC, money going to their cause) in order to show people that their situation was on some level and individual struggle, but also one inextricably linked with the social struggle of our society.
In class we talk about whether or not a movement is successful, well this one is (or at least i think so) my views and beliefs on homelessness and unemployment are changed, and my actions have also been affected (the last time is was in DC I met one of the paper vendors, bought a paper and proceeded to explain the cause to my boyfriend and later my family)
The other reading, by Jasper discussing the emotions of protests was also just very interesting. I thought that our discussion in class about why people join movement was very relevant because I believe (as Jasper says) that emotions and social movement are inextricably connected. As I was reading that article I thought about something that I did today, while in Petsmart I donated a dollar to local a.s.p.c.a. Why? well first I am an animal lover, and knowing that their are people out there who hurt or mistreat animals angers and saddens me, thus making me much more willing to act (not to mention and commercial with Sarah Mclachlan with all the sad animals, kills me every time!). So this article also seemed to hit home on the level.
Finally I just had a question or thought I guess about emotions during an election year. While for the most part I avoid political conversations like its my job, listening to them can be fascinating. People get so fired up about someone they don't know, or about one little fact. Also the use of fear in campaigning, and the sense of membership and affiliation (like Jasper discussed about neighborhoods) how that fluctuates or doesn't during an election year?
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