Get on the Bus How is the movie related to the class? The diversity within the black community The divisions within the black community Spike Lee often looks at both the external and internal problems facing the black community

Old-Style Radicalism Chapter 7: Old-Style Radicalism Socialism Communism Nazism why did they fail?

New-Style Radicalism What is it? Traditional/Mainstream political participation Unconventional participation (protests) Reforming the dominant society Grassroots Social Movements

Political Participation Political participation refers to political activity by individual citizens. –Unconventional participation — includes activities such as demonstrations and boycotts –Conventional participation — includes activities such as voting, writing letters, contacting officials, giving money

Conventional Participation May Not Always Be Effective For Minorities Each requires that one of the two political parties embrace (include) the minority group. Money givers, activists, and leaders of organized groups have more influence than do ordinary citizens. If the minority is small in size then their impact on the process is severely limited

Social Movements Social movements are loosely organized collections of people and groups who act over time, outside established institutions, to promote or resist social change. Social movements: –focus on broad, society-wide issues –tend to act outside of normal channels of government, using unconventional, often disruptive, tactics –are generally the political instruments of political outsiders –are generally mass grassroots phenomena –are populated by individuals with a shared sense of grievance –are very difficult to organize and sustain

Major Social Movements Abolitionist movement Populist movement Women’s suffrage Labor movement Peace movement –conscientious objection Civil rights movement Anti-Vietnam War movement

Women’s movement –Equal Rights Amendment Environmental movement Gay and lesbian movement Religious fundamentalist movements –Pro-life (anti-abortion) movement Anti- (corporate) globalization movement Anti-Iraq war movement Tea Party movement

Social Movements and Democracy? They encourage popular involvement and interest in politics. –Broadening the “scope of conflict” They often allow those without substantial resources to enter the game of politics. –Mass mobilization They often are crucial in overcoming gridlock or the status quo. –Civil Rights movement –Women’s suffrage movement

Protest is Not Enough Protest communicates needs/demands, but only temporarily Protest is not always considered legitimate For real and long term policy change you need political representation in local, state and federal bodies Browning, Marshall, Tabb (1984) How did the dominant society respond? Arrests, beatings, fire bombings, assassinations

Protest is Not Enough Movie: “Eyes on the Prize” – – Albany closed its parks instead of integrating them, got rid of all library chairs. Not easy to do: Civil Rights movement started in the North (Chicago 1943) –Splits in the leadership on age/generation/philosophy As Malcolm X says - the threat of the militant faction (Black Panthers, etc.) made it easy for the nonviolent movement to obtain concessions

Other Social Movement Brown Power –Similarities to Black civil rights movement? Native Americans –Building on civil rights movement, legislative and court tactics Disabled –Again war an important catalyst: moral obligation, than an issue of rights Gays and Lesbians –Build on civil rights movement –AIDS epidemic hurt movement –Important court cases (Lawrence v. Texas 2003) –How did the dominant society respond?

Asian American Social Movements Shared fate/history –Racialization, discrimination, immigration Political Action –Redress for Japanese interment –Most South Asian Americans have not entered political process in large numbers –Filipino farm workers organize/anti-Marcos movement –Ethnic campaigns to preserve ethnic enclaves Developers, gentrification, affordable housing