How do individual decisions influence success of collective action?
Francesca Polletta and James Jasper’s “Collective Identity and Social Movements” main focus was the large role that collective
identity has on not only collective action, but outcomes and success of social movements. In trying to break down a broad and
undefined term, they examined the impact of individuals identity in four ways during protests. By looking at how these actions and
claims start, the mobilization and importance of sustaining participation, as well as activists' decisions and outcomes, we can see
how much identity is related to collective action. They conclude that identity and collective action can be concstructed, reformed,
or empowered due to the relation with the other.
When trying to answer the question of how individuals' actions affect collective action outcomes, I think it is important to look at
how they defined collective identity. Having an emotional or moral connection with a certain category or institution is part of your
personal identity. This allows activists to manage this collective identity that we relate to and separate us from the opposing views
other people have or bystanders. I agree with the authors that these leaders strategically shaping and using collective identity
creates a larger and more successful mobilization of protests. Activists have a crucial individual role in shaping part of our personal
identities as well as a movement's outcome, “newly prominent or reformulated identities can transform the institutional political
playing field”.
Another interesting point Jasper and Polletta mentioned is the change of collective claims in the past decades. Collective identities
were once fighting for basic human rights, and to simply get a chance to voice their opinions. Today, defining or enacting identity
is much more common and individuals have an easier way of being heard. This to me is a great example of how culture and
political conditions shape and reform collective identities. One commonality between all of these protests and movements are
having leaders and activists at the forefront. Many collective actors have the platform and resources to create a difference, others
made a memorable stand that gained attention. The authors mentioned that, “activists deploy identities strategically”. This could
mean an individual taking a risk and making a stand. In today’s world it usually means making a large donation or statement on
social media. Either way, individuals have the ability to create momentum with movement, especially when it is, “in line” with the
grievances and collective identity of many people.
It is easy to apply collective identity to the Black Lives Matter movement that is currently at the center of attention in today’s
political and cultural news. Thinking of the author's definition of collective identity once again, the importance of having a
“cognitive, moral, and emotional connection” over fixed categories is important with present day issues. Relating to an activist's
voice and viewpoints on issues rather than decent based attributes or descriptive characteristics allows for more participation
and more value in a movement. It combines personal identities and backgrounds and creates a larger voice with a greater
chance of successful reform and change.
I like your observation about emotional and moral connections to other group members or institutions. It seems like this component can get overlooked, even though it often plays a central role in social movements. Why exactly do you think it is easier for people to be "heard" in today's society? I was thinking that social media and more access to information online is a main reason, but I was wondering if you were thinking of other or additional reasons why your claim would be true.
ReplyDeleteDevin raises a good point, and I too wonder what it means to be heard. Think back to Cederman, Wimmer, and Min and their definition of politically relevant identity that was based on representation in government. Push even further to your idea in your article that coethnic representation is substantive (about granting or providing benefits to the ethnic group). Can voices really be heard without these things taking place?
DeleteI appreciate your remark about individuals being able to "create momentum with movement". We're seeing the democratization of organizing, in which it is easier than ever to gain a following or a platform (especially through social media sites) and to use it for political organization and collective action. The BLM protests, as you point out, are a good example - organization of those protests has been pretty laissez-faire and varied very much from place to place, because anyone with a platform can become an organizer. This creates a broad range of outcomes - protests in some places can be successful while others are not, for example. One other notable thing about this is that it makes strategic employment of an identity easier. One protestor deploying an identity might not do much, but an organizer with 8,000 Twitter followers might be able to do something like that with much greater success.
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