More than a year ago
I wondered about the lack of public outcry about Iraq War and general apathy witnessed on a bus. Now I'm learning in my sociology classes about how collective action happens. So awesome.
Roger Gould's
Insurgent Identities compares the 1848 June insurgence from 1871 Paris Commune uprising.
Mahmood Mamdani's
When Victims Become Killers tries to make sense of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Here is a NYT Op-ed written by Columbia's sociology professor about the glaring absence of mass movement in the country today:
By SUDHIR VENKATESH
Published: March 29, 2009
We are hearing a lot about “populist rage,” but so far no riots have broken out in front of the Treasury Department or the A.I.G. headquarters.
Robert Putnam wrote about the
Bowling Alone phenomenon (haven't read the book but read one of his article written in the most self-righteous paternalistic tone... but he's basic observations are right), which is linked to Gould's argument about the importance of real social connections (not virtual) in enabling mass movement.
As for the online social networks... I am weary of them but have learned that it can be used for good, concrete purposes. One inspiring story was told by Mark Hanis of
Genocide Intervention Network, who used the intnernet to urge its members to call/text their politicians to take action in Darfur and have achieve positive results. I'm sure there are a bunch of coalitions like it.
Don't have energy to make a coherent argument right now, but one day I'll try to put these pieces together.
Comments (7)
Interesting. I met a young Canadian student once who had just published a piece on group behavior that inspires heroic, righteous behavior. This is of course in the opposite of Zimbardo's research with the "Lucifer Effect." I'll see if I can track down the article again and link it for you.
-Pilgrim of Truth
One of these days in your studies you'll come across, if you haven't already, the famous Kitty Genovese case, which illustrates the principle of "diffusion of responsibility". I've seen the phenomenon operate over and over again in various contexts. "Someone else will call the police." "Someone else will help that person."
Whatever you choose to call the phenomenon, it involves the fact that most people don't like to stick their necks out too far, and justify their inaction by saying to themselves, "Oh, someone else will take care of it. It's not my responsibility. I didn't own slaves. Etc., etc."
I think real social connections are of vital importance. I've quit several local political organizations because the people involved didn't seem to understand the basic principle of simple friendship. I'm not interested in merely going to meetings, conducting business, writing bylaws and position papers. I want to share a meal with people, get to know who they are apart from our shared political interest, meet them face to face on the level of the human heart. It's especially difficult for Americans to do that, it seems, because they're so damned self-sufficient.
Social connection may or may not be necessary for collective action, but it's not sufficient. There has to be shared desperation also. Most of the people I'm involved with politically in this town are much more affluent than I am. So for them politics is largely theoretical, an intellectual exercise, a form almost of entertainment. When I try to tell them about my personal travails, my first-hand experiences with the system they profess to despise, their eyes glaze over and they walk away. They don't want to upset their comfortable little existences, and they certainly don't want to take any personal responsibility for ME. "The government should nationalize the means of production," they pontificate, while my needs are much more immediate and elemental.
I'm still trying to track that article down. I know the guys name was Dominique. But maybe the research was more about Milgram than Zimbardo. Never fear my detective skills are still at work.
p.s. You probably should have some fear. ;)
Start fearing. I am still looking but to no avail. ;)
@PilgrimOfTruth - Oh, it's okay. Thanks for trying!
A little lax in our Xanga posting lately, aren't we?
I hope you're doing all right, Grace.
How I long for a good protest at AIG. I think I could bring myself to waving a sign.