How Social Movements Work - and How to Support Them
WHAT
This study describes a useful overview for organizing large scale social change.
WHY
Delivering positive social impact on social problems is one of the key challenges every social entrepreneur must successfully address,
HOW
The article describes Top Ten Elements of Building Movements and Six Key Capacities Organizations Need for Movement Building.
1.A vision and a frame
In a world of challenges, social movements help to identify the source of problems, the groups and individuals that stand in the way of solutions, and the way in which resolving those issues will lift up our best and highest selves.
2.An authentic base in key constituencies
One key element of a social movement is its commitment to organizing – the on-the-ground, one-to-one work that is part science, part art, and all important to organizational sustainability.
3.A commitment to the long-haul
Movements pivot from issue to issue constantly referring to a worldview and an agenda. To do this requires long-term focus and long-term investments.
4.An underlying and viable economic model
Social movements have an underlying economic model that is viewed as being sensible & viable
5.A vision of government & governance
Progressive forces suggest that democracy requires certain economic and social protections to level the playing field.
6.A scaffold of solid research
Social movement groups in the U.S. have become even more conscious about the power of using research as a scaffold to support and weave together the personal stories generated by base constituencies.
7.A pragmatic policy package
Social movement organizations are at the ready with practical programs to rework job training, use public bonds to build parks, and/or remake health care to better serve the poor.
8.A recognition of the need for scale
The scale of the social problems faced – and the extent of power on the other side – often requires a scale of organizational capacity to match.
9.A strategy for scaling up
Most social justice organizations are working hard to move from the local to regional to state, national.
10.A willingness to network with other movements”
No one wins alone. It is critical that social movements that may be focused on particular issues and particular constituencies are able to find their way to potential allies in other movements.
SIX KEY CAPACITIES TO ORGANIZE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
1.The ability to organize a base constituency.
2.The capacity to research, frame and communicate.
3.The ability to strategically assess power.
4.The capacity to manage large and growing organizations.
5.The capability to engage and network with others.
6.The ability to refresh organizational vision and organizational leadership.
"Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness.
Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”
- Cervantes
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