What happens to social movements after policy success? Framing the unintended consequences and changing dynamics of the Korean women’s movement

2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doowon Suh

Since the late 1990s, the consequences of collective action have been subject to an expanded scholarly inquiry. In particular, a growing body of analysis has elaborated on the impact of social movements on policy, coupled with studies dealing with structural, organizational, and biographical changes. On the whole, however, the literature continues to under-recognize how unintended consequences affect the way social movements function. In order to illustrate the unanticipated yet profound impact of unintended consequences on movement dynamics, I examine the Korean women’s movement as a case study. My analysis focuses on establishing the following three propositions. First, unintended results motivate movement participants to react promptly; this leads them to voluntarily or involuntarily alter their organizational infrastructures, thereby effecting changes in movement dynamics. Second, the impact of unintended consequences is transmitted to movement participants through the process of framing; it is one’s personal assessment rather than a detached appraisal of collective action outcomes that influences movement dynamics. Third, a negative evaluation of the unintended consequences may generate an impetus for reinvigorating collective action.

2002 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Einwohner

Most research on the role of identity in social movements treats identity as something that is constructed solely by movement participants themselves. However, participants are not the only actors involved in this identity construction. This article uses basic insights from symbolic interactionism to argue that external claims, or claims made about movement participants by those outside the movement, also shape activists' sense of identity. Using data collected during three years of fieldwork with members of a non-violent animal rights organization, I show how the activists made use of their opponents' depictions of them—in particular, charges that the activists were "overly emotional" and "irrational"—when describing themselves. Specifically, I illustrate two processes by which these external claims left their mark on the activists' identity: identity disconfirmation and identity recasting. More broadly, I suggest that "bringing the outsiders in" to examinations of identity and collective action provides a more complete picture not simply of identity construction but of movement dynamics as a whole.


2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Staggenborg ◽  
Verta Taylor

Analyses of the women's movement that focus on its "waves" and theories of social movements that focus on contentious politics have encouraged the view that the women's movement is in decline. Employing alternative perspectives on social movements, we show that the women's movement continues to thrive. This is evidenced by organizational maintenance and growth, including the international expansion of women's movement organizations; feminism within institutions and other social movements; the spread of feminist culture and collective identity; and the variety of the movement's tactical repertoires. Moreover, the movement remains capable of contentious collective action. We argue for research based on broader conceptions of social movements as well as the contentious politics approach.


Author(s):  
Iratxe Perea Ozerin

Abstract Revolutionary theorists have pointed to the “exemplary” in revolutions as the main aspect explaining the power of these phenomena to shape the international system. As a result of their internationalist commitment and their capacity to set revolutionary models, revolutions have a long-term impact not anticipated by even the revolutionaries themselves. Even though they might be overthrown or socialized, the ideas and the internationalist practice exercised by revolutionary movements continue affecting subsequent dynamics of contestation and thus defining world politics. In this article, I argue that the impact of Transnational Social Movements (TSM) can be analyzed in this light. To the extent that they aim to transform the international order, TSMs’ interaction with the international might be deeper than is normally assumed. In order to illustrate this, the article focuses on the Alterglobalization Movement (AGM) as a case study. This approach allows an assessment of the potential of the AGM to shape international politics beyond more immediate victories at the beginning of the millennium.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J Raiten ◽  
Lindsay H Allen ◽  
Joanne L Slavin ◽  
Frank M Mitloehner ◽  
Gregory J Thoma ◽  
...  

Abstract With a growing global population, the demand for high-quality food to meet nutritional needs continues to increase. Our ability to meet those needs is challenged by a changing environment that includes constraints on land and water resources and growing concerns about the impact of human activity including agricultural practices on the changing climate. Adaptations that meet food/nutritional demands while avoiding unintended consequences including negatively affecting the environment are needed. This article covers a specific case study, the role of animal source foods (ASFs) in meeting micronutrient needs in a changing environment. The article covers our understanding of the role of ASFs in meeting micronutrient needs, evidence-based approaches to the development of nutrition guidance, the current issues associated with the relation between animal production practices and greenhouse gas emissions, and examples of how we might model the myriad sources of relevant data to better understand these complex interrelations.


2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doowon Suh

This article investigates Tilly's (1978) long-neglected question of how collective action outcomes modify agents' interests and movement dynamics. A case study of the Korean white-collar union movement demonstrates how the framing of collective action outcomes influences movement trajectories in two ways. First, actors' subjective evaluation of whether collective action succeeds or fails to attain movement goals alters movement dynamics by changing goals, strategies, tactics, action repertoires, and collective identities. Second, to whom the cause of the collective action outcome is attributed mediates these transformations. The evaluation of outcomes and attribution of causes is ongoing. They occur throughout the development of social movements and dynamically shape their trajectories. The case study confirms these observations: in early stages of collective action, when union members considered union efforts to improve their economic well-being fruitless and blamed government intervention for their failures, union activities evolved into political protest against the state and struggle for democratization. At a later stage, when agents successfully achieved economic and political goals and credited their union activism for the victory, union movements progressed by intensifying interunion solidarity.


2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 834-835
Author(s):  
Richard A. Harris

Uncertain Hazards is an ambitious book, in two respects. First, it tackles an important issue for political science as well as sociology and history, namely, the impact that social movements have on reshaping the societies in which they mobilize. Second, in adopting a case study approach to this issue, the author explores the development of the modern environmental movement and its purported reframing or hegemonic reversal of environmental science and risk assessment in America. In effect, this volume is two separate but related studies. Indeed, Sylvia Noble Tesh suggests as much when she notes in her acknowledgments that her “theme shifted as the book took shape” (p. xi).


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (05) ◽  
pp. 20430-20459
Author(s):  
Sedigheh Karimi

The rapid development of Internet and communication technologies raises the question of what role these media and communication interfaces play in social and political movements and development in individual countries. Although activities in cyberspace, including blogging, participation in social networks and other facilities provided by the Internet for its users are a new phenomenon, they have profound effects on social and political relations in the communities involved. In the information era, Internet is an important part of social movements in democratic societies and local communities. When the government blocks other ways to mobilization, Internet may bring like-minded people together and help them to find support for action. Internet has provided a new space for social movements and the effect of the virtual activities of the users on the actions and, often on the lack of social movements is of high importance. Meanwhile, the Iranian women’s movement, like other social movements in contemporary Iran, realizes the impact and position of cyberspace and has made use of it. Many activists, for whom other ways for expressing their demands have been blocked, have entered this space and taken advantage of it for expressing their opinions and communicating information to other people. In fact, the dominant socio-political forces and the atmosphere of repression, and fear have led many Iranian women to use the virtual space to campaign for women’s empowerment and equal rights. They have realized that the Internet may inform the outside world of the movement’s goals and activities and facilitate maintaining contact with other members of the movement. In fact, the open space that provides a platform for sharing information and has given the chance to the Iranian women’s rights activists to perform their activities in a space with a decentralized structure where there is less pressure than there is in the real world. Campaigns formed following the cyberspace market boom indicate that cyberspace has indeed ushered in a new era in the history of the Iranian women’s movement. The present study provides an analysis of the role of the Internet in the activities of the women’s movement and explores the extent to which cyberspace has been assisting the women’s movement in achieving its objectives. By interviewing 50 active women inside Iran, the article investigates whether there has been successful interaction between cyberspace and the Iranian women’s social movement resulting from a dynamic adaptation between functions of social and political groups in the real world and the virtual world. It also examines how factors such as social participation, increasing awareness, changing beliefs, traditional views of women and social mobility have been affected by the application of the Internet, and whether cyberspace has been able to make women’s voices heard in Iran’s patriarchal society.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Mark A. Bullimore

Nationwide, pressures from outside influences such as politicians and educational policy makers are placing schools in precarious situations to make drastic changes in attendance policies to meet state accountability standards. The researcher used interviews and a focus group with school leaders, and archival data to find common themes which were then viewed through the conceptual underpinning of accountability. This case study adds to the field of education a deeper understanding of school leaders' perspectives on the impact attendance accountability standards have on the overall effectiveness of school improvement. The findings suggest: the new proportional attendance policy is detrimental to a school leaders' ability to focus on other school improvement practices while creating negative unintended consequences for schools and students; incentives and punitive consequences have short-term success while decaying school-family relationships; and district-wide and community awareness programs seemed to have the greatest impact on long term attendance improvement. Based on these findings, the following three practices should be implemented by districts: Systematic monitoring of attendance data, the use of low cost incentives and simple rewards, and the implementation of district-wide engagement and education of family and community awareness programs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-114
Author(s):  
Nicole Fox ◽  
Hollie Nyseth Brehm ◽  
John Gasasira

In April 1994, in one of the most Christian nations in Africa, genocidal violence erupted culminating in the deaths of upwards of one million people. While thousands participated in mass killings, others choose not to, and rescued persecuted individuals instead. Relying on 45 in-depth interviews with individuals who rescued others in Rwanda, we demonstrate that religion is tied to rescue efforts in at least three ways: 1) through the creation of cognitive safety nets that enabled high-risk actions; 2) through religious practices that isolated individuals from the social networks of those committing the violence; and 3) through religious social networks where individuals encountered opportunities and accessed resources to rescue. The case of rescue in Rwanda illustrates how religiosity can support high-risk collective action, buffer individuals from recruitment to violent social movements, and can connect individuals in ways that enable them to save lives during extreme political violence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 217
Author(s):  
Sedigheh Karimi

<p><em>The rapid development of Internet and communication technologies raises the question of what role these media and communication interfaces play in social and political movements and development in individual countries. Although activities in cyberspace, including blogging, participation in social networks and other facilities provided by the Internet for its users are a new phenomenon, they have profound effects on social and political relations in the communities involved. In the information era, Internet is an important part of social movements in democratic societies and local communities. When the government blocks other ways to mobilization, Internet may bring like-minded people together and help them to find support for action. Internet has provided a new space for social movements and the effect of the virtual activities of the users on the actions and, often on the lack of social movements is of high importance.</em></p><p><em>Meanwhile, the Iranian women’s movement, like other social movements in contemporary Iran, realizes the impact and position of cyberspace and has made use of it. Many activists, for whom other ways for expressing their demands have been blocked, have entered this space and taken advantage of it for expressing their opinions and communicating information to other people. In fact, the dominant socio-political forces and the atmosphere of repression, and fear have led many Iranian women to use the virtual space to campaign for women’s empowerment and equal rights. They have realized that the Internet may inform the outside world of the movement’s goals and activities and facilitate maintaining contact with other members of the movement. In fact, the open space that provides a platform for sharing information and has given the chance to the Iranian women’s rights activists to perform their activities in a space with a decentralized structure where there is less pressure than there is in the real world. Campaigns formed following the cyberspace market boom indicate that cyberspace has indeed ushered in a new era in the history of the Iranian women’s movement. </em></p><em>The present study, covers the period from 2005 to 2017, provides an analysis of the role of the Internet in the activities of the women’s movement and explores the extent to which cyberspace has been assisting the women’s movement in achieving its objectives. By interviewing 50 active women inside Iran, the article investigates whether there has been successful interaction between cyberspace and the Iranian women’s social movement resulting from a dynamic adaptation between functions of social and political groups in the real world and the virtual world. It also examines how factors such as social participation, increasing awareness, changing beliefs, traditional views of women and social mobility have been affected by the application of the Internet, and whether cyberspace has been able to make women’s voices heard in Iran’s patriarchal society.</em>


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