Sunday, September 28, 2008
Post for Harlan County, USA movie
In the Thomas, Walker and Zelditch article, they examine how the validity of an issue affects collective action through their study. The authors found “that when change is legitimate, mobilizing collective action to correct inequity becomes a routine aspect of ongoing activity…” The findings in this article are well supported in the Harlan County, USA movie. The mine workers and their families knew that the change toward substantive pay and benefits would be a tough one but they also knew that the change was valid and that they would be bettering the conditions for future generations. The workers were willing to risk being killed (which some were) at the possibility of receiving better conditions. Also, the workers knew that this would be a long, step by step battle, which was further emphasized when the first contract was negotiated and agreed upon and then soon after they were on strike again to ask for something else. This was also found in the Thomas, Walker and Zelditch study, that the collective action to correct inequity would become a regular practice for the group and it would not be as hard to motivate others to participate in the protest.
Post for week of September 16th & 18th
The Charland article addresses constitutive rhetoric and how it plays a part in motivating people to action. Charland identifies three things that constitutive rhetoric does:
1. Develops a collective identity. This draws people together and allows them to unify under one cause.
2. Creates the subject or audience member as a subject in history. This has people see the movement as an important part of society and that they are making an imperative change.
3. Demands that subject/audience members act in accordance with the movement.
When I read this article, I immediately related it to the Obama “Change/Hope” movement
that he has created with his campaign for President. If you look at the campaign as compared to the Charland article, Obama is the master of constitutive rhetoric. He has constructed his followers as he would like them to appear and designated ideas that he finds important and convinces the public to accept and care about them. He identifies ‘today’ as being the time for change and a turning point in history and has convinced a stereotypically apathetic group (young adults) to come out and vote. The followers generally have accepted this and have created a movement that is tremendously powerful. Obama and his movement are challenging the powers that be and refused to go unacknowledged.
I found this article particularly important in my own life because it forces me to further question authorities who I even tend to agree with and to see if there is substantive evidence to back up what these powerful leaders are saying or to see if it is all a façade.
1. Develops a collective identity. This draws people together and allows them to unify under one cause.
2. Creates the subject or audience member as a subject in history. This has people see the movement as an important part of society and that they are making an imperative change.
3. Demands that subject/audience members act in accordance with the movement.
When I read this article, I immediately related it to the Obama “Change/Hope” movement
that he has created with his campaign for President. If you look at the campaign as compared to the Charland article, Obama is the master of constitutive rhetoric. He has constructed his followers as he would like them to appear and designated ideas that he finds important and convinces the public to accept and care about them. He identifies ‘today’ as being the time for change and a turning point in history and has convinced a stereotypically apathetic group (young adults) to come out and vote. The followers generally have accepted this and have created a movement that is tremendously powerful. Obama and his movement are challenging the powers that be and refused to go unacknowledged.
I found this article particularly important in my own life because it forces me to further question authorities who I even tend to agree with and to see if there is substantive evidence to back up what these powerful leaders are saying or to see if it is all a façade.
Post for Week of September 9th & 11th
The McGee article discusses a group of people being able to get a cause labeled as a movement, which will enable that cause to get recognition and to be more successful. A group has to create linkages in the public mind to get them to relate in some way/understand the importance of the cause. This recognition of importance differentiates “our cause” versus “their cause” and makes it a force to be reckoned with. Once this acknowledgement of the cause exists then the movement can gain momentum and power.
This article made me think of the Breast Cancer Movement that has swept across America and has become an extremely powerful movement the past five years. Even though you may not know someone with Breast Cancer, you most likely know someone who has had some form of cancer and are willing to donate time and/or money to help out the cause. This movement has become such a strong force that there are mini-movements that have been created under the general Breast Cancer movement—such as “Save the Ta-Tas,” Biden Breast Health Initiative, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
The Breast Cancer Movement has done exactly what the McGee article addresses. The overall movement has made linkages to the general public, which was relatively easier to do than other causes because cancer has become so common place in our society. They used this common place factor to differentiate this movement from others. Cancer can almost be seen as an epidemic which allowed the movement to be put to the forefront of the social priority list and draws attention to it. I believe the Breast Cancer Movement is at the height of its power and with the amount of awareness and money that has been raised, they have already made significant progress in even the diagnosing of breast cancer and hopefully this change will continue.
This article made me think of the Breast Cancer Movement that has swept across America and has become an extremely powerful movement the past five years. Even though you may not know someone with Breast Cancer, you most likely know someone who has had some form of cancer and are willing to donate time and/or money to help out the cause. This movement has become such a strong force that there are mini-movements that have been created under the general Breast Cancer movement—such as “Save the Ta-Tas,” Biden Breast Health Initiative, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
The Breast Cancer Movement has done exactly what the McGee article addresses. The overall movement has made linkages to the general public, which was relatively easier to do than other causes because cancer has become so common place in our society. They used this common place factor to differentiate this movement from others. Cancer can almost be seen as an epidemic which allowed the movement to be put to the forefront of the social priority list and draws attention to it. I believe the Breast Cancer Movement is at the height of its power and with the amount of awareness and money that has been raised, they have already made significant progress in even the diagnosing of breast cancer and hopefully this change will continue.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
SCOM Week 1
For my first blog I would like to talk about C.A.S.P.I.A.N. (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering) and their recent boycott of Gillette products. Through my explanation of the boycott, I will identify four main questions that should be identified in a social movement according to Della Porta and Diani.
C.A.S.P.I.A.N. is currently boycotting all Gillette products, including: shaving items, Duracell batteries, Braun appliances and Oral B products. Their reason for the boycott is because of their understanding that Gillette uses Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) hidden in the packaging. This allows Gillette to use the "spy chips" to track Gillette customers through the stores and to take a photo of the shopper and compare it with the check out line to prevent potential shoplifters.
1. This movement wants consumers to stop supporting the Gillette products that violate
consumers privacy by working in cohorts with the supermarkets, like Walmart and Target.
2. The face of the Gillette boycott is C.A.S.P.I.A.N. with their red, white and blue colors and
American flag cart--representing their anti-supermarket view along with anyone else who is
assisting them (i.e. Gillette). Although, there is no direct insignia that identifies directly
with only boycotting Gillette products.
3. This movement motivates individuals by playing into peoples fear of being spied on and
their privacy being invaded.
4. With the seemingly lack of privacy that we seem to loose each year do to the government,
this boycott goes with the idea of preserving as much privacy as you possibly can.
C.A.S.P.I.A.N. is currently boycotting all Gillette products, including: shaving items, Duracell batteries, Braun appliances and Oral B products. Their reason for the boycott is because of their understanding that Gillette uses Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) hidden in the packaging. This allows Gillette to use the "spy chips" to track Gillette customers through the stores and to take a photo of the shopper and compare it with the check out line to prevent potential shoplifters.
1. This movement wants consumers to stop supporting the Gillette products that violate
consumers privacy by working in cohorts with the supermarkets, like Walmart and Target.
2. The face of the Gillette boycott is C.A.S.P.I.A.N. with their red, white and blue colors and
American flag cart--representing their anti-supermarket view along with anyone else who is
assisting them (i.e. Gillette). Although, there is no direct insignia that identifies directly
with only boycotting Gillette products.
3. This movement motivates individuals by playing into peoples fear of being spied on and
their privacy being invaded.
4. With the seemingly lack of privacy that we seem to loose each year do to the government,
this boycott goes with the idea of preserving as much privacy as you possibly can.
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