Social Movements

The fact that the power of social movements has changed the course of history cannot be underscored. Social movements whether in civil rights advocacy, women’s rights, or in the political uprising have compelled governments and societies to move towards making a desirable social change. The success of these groups can be attributed to many factors, among them, being: the type of leadership, the socio-political forces, ability to mobilize, mass communication, and the integration of the people amongst themselves. Within the activism, different factors play on how practical a given course is in a given time among them being judicial actions, political timing, and social ties within the movement.

One of the critical determinants that have necessitated social activism over the years is the mass discontent of people on a given issue. The discontent often arises from the realization of the possibilities of what life would be if the systems were more egalitarian. In raising the social consciousness, media plays a pivotal role as it highlights and informs on the injustices that are taking place (Snow and Sarah 4). It also gives examples and stories of nations and societies where life is better and how people are embracing new forms of liberty. For instance, in Tunisia students rose to mass protests and were joined by civilians in pro-democracy protests that led to the democratization of the nation (Castell 3). The mass movement was motivated by the practice of democracy in other countries, and how history had proven the success of mass action against the forces of tyranny.