Areas of Activism
1. Activism can be on behalf of a great many causes, such as labour, religious, or
environmental goals. Some people associate activism with "progressive" causes
that promote equality and the rights of those with less power, but activism can just
as well be used to attack the weak. Tim Jordan usefully proposes three types
of activism, oriented to the past, present, and future.
(a) Past-oriented or reactionary activism seeks to protect the interests
of those with more power, often at the expense of those who are weaker.
(b) Present-oriented activism is aimed at changing policies. This is also
called reformism. Examples are campaigns for laws and regulations, such as
on election financing, gun control, or whistleblower protection, campaign
against corruption.
(c) Future-oriented activism - called by Jordan "activism!" with an
exclamation point - is about changing social relations, not just policies.
Examples are greater equality in the family, worker participation in decision
making, and treating non-human animals as valuable in themselves.
2. It is possible to see activism as a spectrum from the local to the global,
both geographically and in relation to the person. Local activism is often about
protecting the quality of life of a family or small community, such as when local
citizens campaign for better schools or hospitals or against a factory or freeway.
Traditionally, most activism within a country focused on issues affecting
that country. But there is an increasing orientation to issues transcending national
borders. Sometimes this is because the issues are global, such as climate change.
But in many cases, it is simply because the scope of concern has widened. Torture,
a problem in numerous countries, is challenged by human rights groups, often from
outside the country where torture takes place. The most recent case is a
political activism displayed by the few regional political parties on the
certain issue of violation of human rights in Srilanka. In this case the scope of
concerned has widened as the area of activism went beyond the Indian boundaries.
3. The domain of activism has also expanded inwards, from the public
sphere into personal and private realms. Examples include sexual harassment,
bullying, and domestic violence. These often take place between individuals, out of
the public eye. Activism has been central to the response, in two ways. First,
activists have identified these as social problems and campaigned to raise
awareness about them. These efforts sometimes have led to laws and procedures
being introduced. Second, individuals and small groups have developed techniques
to deter and challenge sexual harassers, bullies, and batterers.
Activist Leaders
4. Leaders play an important role in activist groups and movements. They can
play a variety of roles, for example as figureheads, spokespeople, role models,
strategists, and theorists.
(a) Activist leaders are important both externally and internally. To the wider
public, they are symbols of social concern. Due to their formal position in an
organization or to their personal visibility, they receive disproportionate media
attention. Inside movements, charismatic leaders can attract and retain
members and hold a group together. Wise leaders can give guidance on
strategies and internal dynamics.
(b) Leaders often come under attack by opposition forces: discrediting a
leader is a way of discrediting an entire movement.
(c) Leaders can also be a source of tension within movements. Some
leaders develop their own agendas that clash with the desires of members.
Leaders can be co-opted by their opponents, for example by being given a
position in government or industry.
5. Nevertheless, focusing on leaders can be somewhat misleading, because
most activism is a collective activity. Leaders would not exist except for the quiet,
unheralded efforts of hundreds of ordinary activists. Furthermore, in some groups
and movements there is a commitment to sharing power and an opposition to
formal hierarchy. Such groups might adopt consensus decision-making and
encourage everyone to develop a range of skills and play a variety of roles.
Leadership still exists in such groups, but it is leadership based on contributions and
respect, not formal roles. Much of the feminist movement operates this way. There
are certainly quite a number of prominent feminists, but they are more commonly
writers and commentators than leaders of activist groups.
Activist Trajectories
6. In parallel with activism are debates about activism. If a particular form of
action alienates too many people, then it is hardly worth doing. Therefore,
convincing people that forms of action are acceptable is a key part of making
activism viable. Debates about activism take place in the media, in everyday
conversations, and not least among activists themselves.
(a) Individuals can enter and exit activist roles in a variety of ways. Some
begin with a small involvement, such as helping with a street stall or
attending a public meeting, and gradually become more engaged over the
years, perhaps becoming regular participants or even full-time activists. Others
become heavily involved very quickly but drop out of activism due to
burnout or other commitments.
(b) It is difficult to maintain a high level of activism always in addition
to other major commitments, especially a conventional job and a family. Some
sorts of activism - crewing on a peace voyage or attending a vigil lasting weeks
- are virtually impossible for those with heavy family or job commitments, so it
is easier for students or retired people to participate.
(c) One of the challenging tasks for social movements is to develop
campaigns that allow many people to participate, not just those able to drop
all other commitments.
(d) Just like individuals, social movements go through cycles, though
there is no fixed pattern. Movements sometimes start with a surge of
innovative action, as many people join, attracted by the exciting feeling of
change and making a difference. After the first several years, though, the
initial enthusiasm can decline, media attention fades, and the
movement appears to lose momentum. Activism can become routine, like
ritual May Day marches organized by the labour movement. This can be best
judged in case of “Lokpal Bill” many a times government deliberately
attempt to fade out social movements.
(e) Some movements fade away entirely. Others are institutionalized:
their purposes are incorporated in formal systems, such as welfare services or
equal opportunity offices. In these cases, some former activists may become
leading officials in the system. There are also movements that maintain
their levels of activism over many years or decades, continuing to
innovate and attract new members.
(f) The peace movement has followed a pattern of rapid expansion and
decline. For example, the movement against nuclear weapons surged in
the late 1950s and faded away in the early 1960s; then in the 1980s it
surged and declined again. There are some anti-nuclear activists who
continue even when the movement is at a low level, but the pattern is one of
boom and bust. There is little institutionalization of peace movement agendas:
for example, there are few government disarmament departments.
(g) In contrast, the environmental movement has maintained a more
consistent level of activism, with a variety of groups that attract members
and support. The mix of urgent environmental issues can change - from
pesticides to nuclear power to climate change - but the level of involvement
has not varied dramatically. Environmental agendas have been
institutionalized, with government environment departments and industries
adopting environmental programs.