Lecture 01 | Social Movements Defined

Social movements are (a) mostly informal networks of interaction, based on (b) shared beliefs and solidarity, mobilized around (c) contentious themes through (d) the frequent use of various forms of protest (Dellaporta & Mattoni, 2016).

(a)   Informal Network of Interaction

When one reads this definition deeply, he/she can realise that factor of communication holds a vital and central role in all those four definitional aspects of social movements. Let's see how. 

Social movements are informal networks of relations. Participants, sympathisers, supporters of movements are composed of heterogeneous population. They belong to various class, race, gender, lingual group, nationality and ethnicity. Participants are scattered and most often weakly connected because social movements are not organisations. Although they are some times organized by organisations but most of the time they are not organisations. They are networks of relation of diverse actors. However, movements are more or less structured from an organizational point of view. Social movements are composed of weekly connected and scattered individuals who feel they are part of a collective effort.

Thus, in this situation communication becomes vital and equally significant. Movement actors are engaged in the flux of information and exchange of ideas which must be structured and restructured in accordance with changing characteristics of the network. The narrative of movement must be intensified in times of visibility and fragmented in times of abeyance.

(b)   Shared Beliefs and Solidarity

Collective ideologies are constantly constructed and reconstructed within a social movement and, again, communication is of utmost importance in this process. Above mentioned networks of relations constitute a social movement when their members share a common belief and solidarity. Shared belief nourishes solidarity and collective awareness. Collectively social movements produce an alternative world vision or narrative which challenges the already existing dominant vision or narrative.

Social movements are considered as an agent of social change; therefore, they can not afford to limit their vision within movement. They have to spread their vision to outside: protest targets, public, sympathizers, supporters, potential allies, bystanders, spectators and even opponents. Their primary should be to reach and influence public opinion as well as policy decision-makers. In this regard, communication strategies become essential to address strategic dilemmas in order to gain visibility as well as support from concerned quarters.

(c) Contentious Themes

Movement actors are mobilized around the definition of conflict. Many scholars of social movements have defined them as actors in new conflicts. Communication within social movements has an essential role in shaping and framing contentious issues on which movement is based. Those issues are called contentious because of participation of heterogeneous population ranging from diverse backgrounds, cultures and indoctrinations.

That communication becomes more important while mobilising a population which is based on diverse actors belonging to different languages, culture, racial groups, social positions, political culture and economic conditions. Here we feel a dire need of communicating effectively for elaborating common frames around the definition of conflict. Movement actors are responsible for framing issues in a way which keep all movement participants intact. When movement actors start considering media platforms – freedom of information and communication rights –as a relevant field for discursive struggle, communication becomes essential.

(d) Protest

The fourth and final definitional aspect of social movements is frequent use of protests by social movements. Indeed this one aspect characterises social movements and makes movement actors distinct from other political actors in terms of exercising pressure over authorities, so view many social movement scholars. Protest is defined as a non-conventional form of action that interrupts daily routine. Everyday routine is an instrument of communication and by disrupting it social movement actors attract attention of the public. Such performances always provide a platform to protest organisers and protest targets. The interaction between organisers and targets facilitates passage of information and holds strong communicative elements which are targeted at opening various channels of communication with diverse public, decision-makers, sympathisers and supporters.

For instance, public concern do not reach decision-makers until public perform some protests order to get heard. Authorities notice concern of public when protests are held. Here again communication becomes essential in terms of choosing an appropriate form of communication for propagation of message of the social movement.