Welcome to the Informing Activists video project from Mobilizing Ideas, the blog produced by the Center for the Study of Social Movements. Below you will find links for videos of social movement scholars and social scientists answering questions relevant for political and social activists. The series is coordinated by Jennifer Earl and Thomas Elliott, both of the University of Arizona, and in partnership with the Youth Activism Project, which is sponsored by the MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics. Informing Activists includes videos from some of the top scholars in social movements, recommended readings, and other resources on topics ranging from framing to social movement consequences, all tailored to young activists, potential organizers, and/or potential protest participants. We hope you will share this series widely, especially with young people in your communities interested in working for social change.

The MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics (YPP) is a network of ten scholars from various disciplines that have come together to understand how youth are getting involved civically and politically, including through sharing and producing civic and political content online. We are also interested in understanding the risks and opportunities that the use of digital media may play in these engagements. While the network invests in, and members conduct, basic research on these topics, YPP is also dedicated to translating relevant research findings into actionable information for young people, activists, educators, and/or policy-makers.

This video series comes out of that desire to connect young people with critical research on activism. We’ve invited some of the top scholars in the field of social movements to talk about what their research has to say about how to be effective activists. For example, David Snow discusses what advice his pioneering work in framing has for activists looking to improve their messaging. Holly McCammon discusses how her work in strategic adaptation helps guide activists in modifying their strategies to changing contexts. Our goal is that these videos can help current and future activists better plan their campaigns to achieve success.

Make the change you envision!

Do movements make a difference? 

How do I get (more/new/different) people involved?

What should I focus on when I am trying to create change? 

What should I think about when I am creating an organization?

How can I be more convincing? 

How do I stay safe? 

What else do I need to know? 

March 17, 2020

Health and SocietyCenter for the Study of Social Movementsdigest172University of Notre Dame

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