Understanding Internet Use in Grassroots Campaigns: Internet and Social Movement Theory

This chapter focuses on the movement's message. Many of the social movements often embraced a unifying message that sought ways to attract a wide and diverse group of supporters. For an understanding of some of the additional components of social movement success, particularly in social innovation moments, the chapter turns to contemporary social movement theory to try to identify the connection between one's network, the messages that network might send, and the extent to which the identities of the members of that network are tied up in both. It discusses the evolution of social movement theory, beginning with what can be called the rational actor model of community organizing. What this discussion shows is that messages matter for community organizing and social mobilization. Personalizing, humanizing, and optimistic messages can help movements expand and grow, creating the network effects described in the previous chapter. At the same time, when those messages are encoded onto face-to-face relationships, those relationships serve as a channel through which a movement can expand its network.

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Using Social Movement Theory to Assess Egyptian Youth Activism: Opportunity, Mobilization, Strategies and Cultural Frames

Youth Activism in Egypt ◽

10.5040/9781350989900.ch-008 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Social Movement ◽

Youth Activism ◽

Social Movement Theory ◽

Movement Theory ◽

Cultural Frames

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The Success and Sustainability of American Nationalist Movements

Advances in Electronic Government, Digital Divide, and Regional Development - Nationalism, Social Movements, and Activism in Contemporary Society ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-5433-2.ch004 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 83-102

Keyword(s):

Social Movements ◽

Social Movement ◽

Case Studies ◽

Social Movement Theory ◽

Donald Trump ◽

Nationalist Movements ◽

Movement Theory ◽

Black Lives Matter

This chapter analyzes the viability of the selected case studies in legitimizing or mainstreaming their goals and ideology, as well as paths to success and/or failure. The chapter provides prescriptions for both movements and highlights obstacles that may impede each from achieving stated goals or solidifying political victories (electoral, legislative, or ideologically within the wider society). The phases of social movement theory first promulgated by Herbert Blumer is explained in this chapter as a method of considering future movements. The success of American social movements is traditionally marked by legislative victories or codification of change (which is what Black Lives Matter is seeking), while contemporary movements have been successful at achieving electoral victories (that of Donald Trump); this chapter explores that dichotomy as well.

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