initiative to movement: reclaiming futures as a case study laura nissen, phd. national program...

Initiative to Movement: Reclaiming Futures as a Case Study

Laura Nissen, PhD.

National Program Director

[email protected]

reclaimingfutures.org

Purpose of the Webinar

1. To challenge the Reclaiming Futures community to consider its identity in terms of past, present and future social change targets.

2. To explore definitions, history and present day context of social movements overall and those pertaining to youth specifically.

3. To invite leadership and build momentum for developing a “movement” agenda for the present and future.

What is a social movement?

…can be viewed as collective enterprises seeking to establish a new order of life. They have their inception as a condition of unrest, and derive their motive power on one hand from dissatisfaction with the current form of life, and on the other hand, from wishes and hopes for a new system of living. The career of a social movement depicts the emergence of a new order of life. Blumer, 1969, p. 99


Social movements are…

…best conceived as public spaces and moments of collective creation that provide societies with ideas, identities, and even ideals. Eyerman & Jamison, 1991, p.4


Contentious politics occurs…

…when ordinary people, often in league with more influential citizens, join forces in confrontation with elites, authorities and opponents. When backed by dense social networks and galvanized by culturally resonant, action-oriented symbols, contentious politics leads to sustained interaction with opponents. Tarrow, 1998, p.2


Social movements are…

-Informal social networks, based on-Shared beliefs and solidarity, which mobilize about-Conflictual issues through,-The frequent use of various forms of protest.

Della Porta and Diani, 1999, p. 16.


Examples of Social Movements in U.S. History

1.Abolitionist movement

2.Women’s movement

3.Anti-racist movement

4.Civil rights movement

5.Environmental and green movements

6.Pro- and anti-abortion movements


Reclaiming Futures Basics

1.Began as an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2000.

2.Focus on re-creating systems of care and opportunity for young people in trouble with drugs and the law.

3.Spread from 10 to 26 communities around the U.S. in 9 years.

4.Now engaged with multiple federal partners and new philanthropic investments.


Juxtaposting Goals of Initiatives Vs. Movements

InitiativeImplementing programs

Development of standards

Systems change

Professionally-driven (managed)

Building organizations

Coalescing to a plan

Implementing and improving

Implementation science

MovementAction on social problems

Development of advocacy

Social change

Grassroots-driven (managed)

Building networks and alliances

Disrupting disparities and oppression

Agitating and mobilizing

Political science

Phases of a Social Movement

1.Social unrest

2.Elementary behavior – milling, collective excitement, and social contagion

3.Collective effervescence

- Blumer, 1986


Mechanisms of Social Movements

- Agitation – jarring people free of their customary way of thinking and have aroused within them, new impulses and wishes.

- Esprit de Corps – development of collective agency – basic repertoire of behaviors and sentiments

1.Development of Morale – development of sense of conviction about rightness of endeavor in its values and mission

2.Formation of Group Ideology – discursive formulation of the beliefs of the group, a diagnosis of present conditions, a response to potential critics, and a coherent vision of a solution. Goal of an ideology is to persuade.

3.Tactics – actions that respond to unique aspects of the goals of the movement and the dynamics of a situation-specific struggle.

- Blumer, 1986


Reclaiming Futures…

-Has brought many of these ideas to life in our work-But have not explicitly explored a “movement” agenda (we’ve called it “spread,” “dissemination,” and “communications”)-Has an opportunity to “go to the next level” in terms of inspiring and igniting community activism, particularly for mature sites.


Thinking About Alliances…

There are many potential groups explictly engaged in movement work as related to youth work:-Juvenile justice reform-Recovery movement-Anti-drug community coalitions-Disparities movement-Anti-poverty movement


Our strengths and needs in expanding our “movement” capacity

Accomplishments:-Project Connect (national and state-level)-Local and national communications agendas-Grassroots ownership

-Synergy with other youth-related community development issues

- Others?


Questions to consider:

-Is a “social movement” identity a necessary part of our evolution as a whole?-If so, what are steps sites should take to engage in that process (in a new way or to get to the next level)?-What are steps the NPO could/should take to begin to support this?


Our opportunity moving forward…

What should our agenda look like?

Who should organize this?

Next steps?


initiative to movement: reclaiming futures as a case study laura nissen, phd. national program...

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