GE21001 Dynamic Human Worlds Lecture 11 New Social Movements Dr. Susan P. Mains Geography

New Social Movements Lecture Outline: Defining NSM Different forms of movements Case Studies

New Social Movements New Movements Shift from pre-1960s movements Diversity of goals Economic social changes in identity, lifestyle, culture Activists from ‘new middle class’

New Social Movements New Movements Structure more informal—supporters rather than members Range of networks Beyond single issue—longterm change at local/national/international levels May utilize single issue protest stratgegies

Movement Culture Identity, ideology and politics Social relations, symbols and identities Challenging hierarchies Autonomy & horizontalism e.g., Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe antagonism antagonistic politics ‘nodal points’

Examples of Movements Peace Indigenous Rights Environmental Women’s Gay & Lesbian Arab Uprising

Arab Spring Changing framework for political action Grassroots movements ‘Witnessing’ through digital technology Egypt: Rammy Essam http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14254564 Revolution & repression? Shifting political economies http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0150mtb/Analysis_Libyas_Islamic_Capitalists/ Multiple locations: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12482311

Chipko Movement, India Emerged during 1970s 1974 Chamoli District Non-violent movement building on Gandhian philosophy Peaceful resistance ‘tree hugging’ Prevent tree cutting & promote conservation On the Fence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlooQxBTrL8

Chipko Movement By 1980s widespread throughout India Changes in legislation Perception of women in activist politics Links to more recent environmental movements Role of media Political Ecology Vandana Shiva

New Social Movements Anti-World Trade Organization protests, Seattle 1999 http://www.globalissues.org/article/46/wto-protests-in-seattle-1999 Anti-globalisation No Logo-Naomi Klein

Anti-WTO Protests Diversity of social groups anti-Third World Debt strategic use of space, e.g., Seattle 1999  use of technology is important  decentralised power the role of the state and international monetary funding bodies, WTO, IMF, World Bank neo-colonialism issues of race and gender use of media and problems of reporting

Media & Anti-WTO Protests Social movement: bringing together different political, activist organizations Groups may encompass different goals and strategies, but with commonalities: debt reduction fair trade union representation sustainable development redistribution of wealth removal of corporate welfare

Media & Anti-WTO Protests Mainstream media controlled by limited number of organizations  Key source of news information: Reuters Associated Press News Representations limited mainstream coverage of protests, places, events = limited Discourses around protests important: police/governments vs protesters What images are used most frequently? Why?

Media & Protest Anti-WTO protests, alternative media images important: use of web, camcorders, alternative journalists IndyMedia AdBusters  During protests: use of media linked to use of space Symbolic power of institutions questionned: McDonalds Starbucks Nike Re-reading corporate and state landscapes

Economic and Political Geography Review Economic and political relationships vary across space Specific moments and places are important for understanding concepts such as, globalisation, inequality, development, nation and activism Inequality and power are central to the stories of local↔global processes