Social movements in a nutshell
When I think about social movements, I visualize huge groups on the streets, people marching with protest signs and chanting. It is, however, much more than that, but what does a social movement mean exactly? A social movement can be formally defined as: “A collective action by a group of people with a shared or collective identity based on a set of beliefs and opinions that intend to change or maintain some aspect of the social order.” by Kenton Bell, Sociology Dictionary. In everyday language, this means a group of people who all see the same problem and work together to ‘fix’ it. Therefore, the ultimate goal of social movements is to bring (or prevent) change within a society so that all members can benefit from the system. In theory, if all social, environmental, and economic needs are met, society should be sustainable.
There are many different social movements, all looking to address several challenges within society. If I take the sustainability pillars to categorize social movements, we will see social, economic, and environmental oriented movements. Categorizing them based on orientation only has limited use. This is because they are often interconnected and address a problem much broader than just ‘one’ category. But, just to illustrate, I will do so anyways. A popular example of a social oriented movement is Black Lives Matter, which fights against racism, discrimination, and racial inequality. Another one is Fridays For Future which is more environmentally oriented, demanding more action on the climate crisis. Although mostly well-known in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, Les Gilets Jaunes started as a protest against increased fuel prices, making it economically oriented.
Social movements have limited power and rely heavily on big numbers to make a global impact. When I mentioned the previous movements, especially Black Lives Matter and Fridays For Future, you might be able to visualize their protests and actions. These were huge and international. They reached these numbers due to exposure and communication, which attracted like-minded people who eventually joined the movement. A case in point is the Fridays For Future movement, which started with Greta Thunberg protesting on her own outside of the Swedish Parliament in 2018. This eventually ended up in the media and led to international success and support. Many youngsters brought attention to the climate crisis through school strikes and protests on Fridays. On its own, it’s a simple concept that made it easy for others to join and become part of a global voice of concern.
It can be challenging to determine whether a social movement is successful or not, as success is a relatively subjective matter. One could say they are successful if they change the status quo, but personally I disagree with that. Take, for example, the #MeToo movement. It began in 2017 as a grassroot movement against sexual abuse and harassment. #MeToo gave people a platform to tell their stories and find a supportive network. In the logic of achieving their goal, #MeToo has ‘limited’ success as sexual harassment is still present in society. But personally, I think it is a very successful movement. Never was there such a significant movement expressing their experiences and providing support for victims.
Perhaps, the success of social movements can be seen through their impact on individuals’ lives. It connects people, making them feel heard and accepted. It creates a network of people who share the same concerns or have had similar experiences. People within such a network can lift each other up on days they feel down. Because, in the end, you are never alone.
Some challenges of current social movements
I would like to talk about some challenges of current social movements as they sometimes form a threshold for people to join a movement. In the last years, there has been a trend of radicalisation of social movements. This can bring on a negative light to activists and their ideologies. At the time of writing this article, the organisation Just Stop Oil has been in the news quite a lot. It kicked off with two activists throwing a can of tomato soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers oil painting. Most recently, they blocked the Abbey Road crossing. Extreme actions like these give them exposure and I’m sure many people know their name, but is it in a good light? Not really. To me, these actions translate to that one person in a debate who constantly interrupts others and keeps increasing their voice. Nobody really takes them seriously anymore.
And it is this very idea that forms the problem. There is a delicate balance between organising an effective peaceful protest and it escalating into radical behaviour. A harsh wake-up call is necessary sometimes, but does it have to be this extreme? Do we really have to glue ourselves to paintings, roads, or a Porsche exhibition floor? No. It makes me question why they turn to these drastic measures. Perhaps it’s the constant stream of extremes we are faced with daily. The news shows us another climate-related catastrophe, or it tells us that we need to reduce emissions by twenty-something, or we will be in severe trouble. This undertone of impending doom often leads to a certain degree of desensitisation. Perhaps by taking these extreme measures, they hope to catch the attention of others and open their eyes. But activism doesn’t mean that you have to engage in these extreme activities. It can be small actions too, don’t let the ‘big dogs’ scare you away from making a change!
Another popular trend seems to be blaming everything on the government. However, this won’t help us move forward. I’ll admit I have done it and still do sometimes, but how is this fixing our situation? Of course, the government controls policies, and they have significant power over how things evolve. But we do too! Recently I had a lecture by Michael Hall, a well-known academic within the sustainable tourism field. He mentioned that you can only find the solution in the framework of where you identify the problem. If we determine the problem solely within the government, what can we do about it? It would be out of our league. If we expand the problem to everyday life, to ourselves, and our consumption patterns, we can come to directly achievable solutions while still making an impact.
Policymakers and opportunity takers
By expanding this problem framework, we can see more opportunities for change. Multiple individuals have taken these opportunities and are making a change for the better. One example is the Dutch start-up Pieter Pot. Following the zero-waste movement, Jouri Schoemaker and Martijn Bijmolt founded the company which delivers groceries to your doorstep in glass jars. If your jars are empty, they collect and refill them. Individuals can avoid unnecessary packaging as they buy in bulk and put the products in jars. They started out small, initially only delivering around Rotterdam, but are now active throughout the Netherlands and even Belgium.
Another example is the Swedish company Oatly. Founded in 1994 by the brothers Rickard and Björn Öste, Oatly has grown into one of the biggest oat milk producers. It was created after research showed how a plant-based diet could reduce CO2 emissions. They started out small but have reached international fame. Although some might argue they have sold their soul to the corporate devil, you can’t deny they help those who want to reduce their dairy intake.
Pieter Pot and Oatly are only two examples of the many entrepreneurs working hard to create a better tomorrow. Although the previously mentioned examples are businesses, there are also multiple initiatives on a non-economic and voluntary basis. This project is one of them. Uniting people with the same interests and beliefs but different knowledge backgrounds is the perfect breeding ground for new innovations and approaches to sustainability. We cannot directly change policies; we are not the policymakers. However, we are the opportunity creators and takers, united by common goals of sustainability.
What roles can social movements play in the quest for sustainability?
Returning to my initial main question, I see three main roles social movements can play. They can spread awareness and information, provide a support system, and be a vessel for innovation. Social movements present problems to society through protests, campaigns, etc., and provide information about the issue. As always, taking a critical stance at the given information is important, and do your research before drawing conclusions.
Social movements also function as a support system for members or supporters of the movement. Often societal change happens slowly, and it can be discouraging to put all this effort into what you stand for without seeing any change. But surrounding yourself with like-minded people who are there to support you and share your struggles can be uplifting. The confirmation that you are never alone, and a new view is sometimes the push you need to keep going and work towards what you believe in.
As a last comment I want to say that social movements are a place where people from different backgrounds connect. Coming together and puzzling different pieces of knowledge together can lead to new innovations. Innovations that already have people wanting to try them out as they support their views. Innovations that will work towards a better tomorrow. A tomorrow that will be more sustainable.
Written by Kimberley Boelens