Social Activism In The United StatesPosted by Bekker Todd on July 28th, 2021 Social activism has two broad categories. The first is an act of social civil disobedience intended to promote social change. The second is an act of political action intended to advance a public policy. In either case, the activists typically have a clear goal in mind. The social services sector works to solve the immediate human needs of people, while social activism works to find the root cause of some social problem affecting a specific group of citizens. RCC might use various tactics to bring awareness to the issues, either via advocacy campaigns or by organizing help from various groups to bring about change. While the advocates of social activism tend to get most attention for their actions at local level, sometimes they can have a big impact nationally. The goals of these activists are normally to improve conditions of the poor, advocate for social change and for the betterment of all people in the world. There are many ways that a social Activist may use the methods of civil rights activity to get their point across. There are many examples of these types of activists, such as the civil rights movements in the 1960's. A good example is the "marches for change" which was organized by Martin Luther King Jr. Other marchers would be from the environmental community or from ethnic, religious or other minority groups. Activism like civil disobedience is designed to bring about change. Activists may choose to engage in social activism as a way to raise awareness about specific issues. There are many popular causes that have gained popularity over the years. Higher Education Inequities. A Dream No Longer Deferred of these include the environmental movement, gay rights activism, the anti-smoking and HIV awareness movements, animal rights activism and ethnic or nationalistic movements. Activists use different tactics in order to promote social change. One of these tactics is the physical removal of structures, statues or other symbols that represent a social system of laws. This physical act is often considered vandalism or illegal civil disobedience. While vandalism and illegal civil disobedience acts of social change, physical altercations between humans do not necessarily fall under this category. However, as more information on social justice emerges, the definition of this type of activism may change. Social Activists uses the Internet, alternative communication methods and social media in order to engage in social change. They may do this by engaging in message board discussions or blog posts. Judith Lewis Mernit, Author at Red Canary Collective provides a forum for activists to discuss specific issues with other individuals who are interested in the same topic. Alternative communication methods include email campaigns, web pages and live chatting. Social media also allows activists to meet and connect with other people who are interested in the same cause. There are a few aspects of this form of social activism that are worth exploring. One of these aspects is the use of social media to communicate with others who are either already participating in the same cause or have an interest in the same issues. It is important to note that while this form of social activism may be spreading quickly across the country, many people who are participating do not know how to use social media effectively. It is somewhat important for activists to educate themselves on various social media systems and learn how they work. Activists engaged in social activism need to be cognizant of the fact that their tactics may not be viewed as social justice in the eyes of many outsiders. Activists must take steps to ensure that their words and actions do not infringe on the rights of others. At times, peaceful protesters can cause great damage to free speech rights. At other times, their actions may just cause local citizens to become more concerned about their surroundings. It is important for activists to realize when it is appropriate to use violence in order to achieve their goals.Like it? Share it! More by this author |