SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND CITIZEN INITIATIVES
The term ‘social movements’ describes the phenomenon of a network based on informal interactions between a plurality of individuals, groups, and/or organizations that share collective identities and engage in political or cultural conflicts. Sociologists have increasingly used the term since the 1960s in light of the rising collective actions and protests on a global scale. While labour and/or socialist movements predominated during the beginning of the 20th century, the post-World War II period saw the emergence of a plethora of different social movements, such as environmental, peace, women’s rights, and anti-racism movements. Social movements are only one form of collective action and are part of a larger ‘civil society’, which includes both social movements and individual citizens. At times, different notions of collective action overlap. Researchers in sociology and political science, among others, believe that social movements and citizens are an important link to democracy and democratisation processes. However, their influence on the democratisation process depends on the nation’s institutional context and the linkages between social movements, political parties, and the ruling elite.
Existing literature typically emphasises three dimensions of social movements: collective action with some degree of organisation and temporal continuity, change-oriented goals, and extra- or non-institutional collective action. First, social movements are networks that are informally coordinated but nonetheless require a certain degree of organisation and temporal continuity to achieve their goals. Second, social movements aim to either promote or halt change against existing institutional or cultural authorities. Third, social movements may use a variety of methods when expressing their discontent and demands, such as sit-ins, the collection of signatures, or protests.
Social movements are important for cultural policy since they form an integral part of bottom-up mechanisms for transforming culture. They may pressure existing institutional and cultural authorities for change and, ultimately, more diversity and inclusion in culture. Social movements also produce cultural resources such as art, music, literature, research, and food as part of their ideological agendas. A well-known example is the Guy Fawkes mask, which emerged as part of anti-establishment movements.
Social movements are an important cultural outcome, but they also produce other societal and political outcomes. Recent research has indeed proposed linking cultural outcomes to movement efforts in broad areas of social life. (VP)
See also: Solidarity; Cultural commons; Community art; Participatory budgeting