8.4 Comparative perspectives on social movements across cultures

Social movements vary across cultures, reflecting unique values, norms, and political environments. Goals and strategies differ between individualistic and collectivistic societies, while historical experiences shape movement narratives and identities.

Cultural contexts influence movement goals, tactics, and composition. Values impact priorities, while norms affect communication styles and decision-making. Transnational networks facilitate idea sharing, but success depends on cultural compatibility and local adaptation.

Social Movements Across Cultures

Cultural Variation in Social Movements

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• Social movements are collective efforts by groups of people to bring about or resist social, political, economic, or cultural change
• The specific characteristics and dynamics of social movements can vary significantly across different cultural contexts
• The goals, strategies, and tactics employed by social movements are shaped by the cultural values, norms, and practices of the societies in which they emerge
  • Social movements in individualistic cultures (United States) may prioritize individual rights and freedoms
  • Social movements in collectivistic cultures (Japan) may emphasize community well-being and harmony
• The resources available to social movements, such as access to media, technology, and funding, can differ across cultural contexts, influencing their ability to mobilize supporters and achieve their objectives

Political and Historical Influences on Social Movements

• The political and legal environments in which social movements operate can vary greatly across cultures, affecting their opportunities for success and the challenges they face
  • Some cultures may have more open and democratic systems that are receptive to social movements (Sweden)
  • Other cultures may have more repressive or authoritarian regimes that seek to suppress dissent (North Korea)
• The historical experiences and collective memories of different cultures can shape the emergence and trajectory of social movements
  • Past struggles, triumphs, and traumas can inform the narratives, symbols, and identities of contemporary social movements
  • The civil rights movement in the United States was shaped by the legacy of slavery and racial segregation
• The role of religion, spirituality, and traditional practices in social movements can differ across cultural contexts
  • In some cultures, religious institutions and leaders may play a central role in mobilizing supporters and legitimizing social movement goals (Iran)
  • In other cultures, religious institutions may be less influential or even opposed to social movement agendas (France)

Cultural Influences on Social Movements

Cultural Values and Movement Goals

• Cultural values, norms, and practices can significantly shape the goals that social movements pursue
  • Movements in cultures that prioritize individual achievement may focus on expanding personal freedoms and opportunities
  • Movements in cultures that emphasize social harmony may prioritize collective well-being and social justice
• Cultural attitudes towards authority, hierarchy, and social status can affect the ways in which social movements challenge or seek to transform existing power structures
  • Movements in cultures with strong traditions of deference to authority may face greater obstacles in mobilizing opposition to dominant institutions and elites (China)

Cultural Norms and Movement Strategies

• The strategies and tactics employed by social movements are often influenced by cultural norms and practices related to communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution
  • Movements in cultures that value direct confrontation may be more likely to engage in disruptive protests and civil disobedience (France)
  • Movements in cultures that prioritize consensus-building may focus on dialogue and negotiation (Japan)
• Cultural norms related to gender, race, ethnicity, and other social identities can shape the composition, leadership, and priorities of social movements
  • Movements that challenge prevailing cultural attitudes and practices related to these identities may face unique challenges and opportunities for building solidarity and achieving their goals
  • The feminist movement in Saudi Arabia faces significant cultural and legal barriers to advancing women's rights
• The cultural significance attached to particular spaces, places, and symbols can influence the targets and tactics of social movements
  • Movements may seek to occupy or reclaim culturally important sites (Tahrir Square in Egypt during the Arab Spring)
  • Movements may appropriate and redefine cultural symbols and narratives to advance their cause (rainbow flag in LGBTQ+ movements)

Transnational Networks in Social Movements

Diffusion of Social Movements Across Cultures

• Transnational networks, such as those facilitated by global communication technologies and international organizations, can enable the diffusion of social movement ideas, strategies, and tactics across cultural boundaries
  • These networks provide channels for the exchange of information, resources, and solidarity among movements in different cultural contexts
  • Social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook) have facilitated the rapid spread of protest movements across national borders
• The process of diffusion involves the spread of social movement innovations from one cultural context to another through various mechanisms
  • Movement of activists and leaders across borders
  • Dissemination of movement literature and media
  • Adaptation of movement practices to new cultural settings
• The success of diffusion processes can depend on the cultural compatibility of social movement ideas and practices with the values, norms, and experiences of the receiving culture
  • Movements that resonate with existing cultural frameworks and address locally relevant grievances may be more likely to take root and inspire local mobilization

Cultural Brokerage and Hybridization in Transnational Movements

• The role of cultural brokers and translators, such as activists with cross-cultural experience or international NGOs, can be crucial in facilitating the diffusion of social movements across cultural boundaries
  • These actors help bridge cultural differences, adapt movement messages and strategies to local contexts, and build coalitions among diverse movement constituencies
  • Amnesty International works to promote human rights across cultural contexts by adapting its advocacy strategies to local political and social realities
• The diffusion of social movements across cultural boundaries can generate new forms of cultural hybridization and innovation
  • Local activists selectively adopt and adapt foreign movement practices to their own cultural and political realities
  • This process leads to the emergence of distinctively local or regional movement cultures that blend elements from multiple cultural traditions
  • The Zapatista movement in Mexico combined indigenous cultural traditions with Marxist revolutionary ideology and global solidarity networks

Western vs Non-Western Social Movement Theories

Limitations of Western-Centric Theories

• Many dominant theories of social movements, such as resource mobilization theory, political process theory, and new social movement theory, have been developed primarily in the context of Western liberal democracies
• These theories may have limited applicability in understanding social movements in non-Western cultural and political contexts
• Western-centric theories often assume the existence of particular institutional and cultural conditions that may not be present or relevant in non-Western societies
  • Open political systems
  • Free media
  • Individualistic values
• Applying these theories without attention to local cultural and political realities can lead to misinterpretation or misrepresentation of non-Western social movements

Distinct Features of Non-Western Social Movements

• Non-Western social movements may be motivated by different sets of grievances, aspirations, and cultural frameworks than those typically emphasized in Western-centric theories
  • Movements in postcolonial contexts may be shaped by histories of colonialism, anti-imperialism, and struggles for national liberation
  • Movements in authoritarian regimes may prioritize issues of political freedom and human rights
• The organizational forms, leadership structures, and mobilization strategies of non-Western social movements may differ from those predicted by Western-centric theories
  • Movements in cultures with strong communal or religious traditions may rely more heavily on pre-existing social networks and institutions, rather than on formal social movement organizations
  • The pro-democracy movement in Myanmar was led by Buddhist monks and nuns who leveraged their moral authority and social networks
• The outcomes and impacts of non-Western social movements may be evaluated differently than those in Western contexts
  • Movements that do not achieve their stated goals or bring about immediate political or policy changes may still have significant cultural or social impacts
    • Shifting public discourse
    • Empowering marginalized communities
    • Inspiring future generations of activists
  • The Occupy Central movement in Hong Kong did not achieve its immediate goal of electoral reform but raised public awareness and inspired a new generation of pro-democracy activists

Developing New Theoretical Frameworks

• To better understand social movements in non-Western contexts, it may be necessary to develop new theoretical frameworks grounded in the cultural, historical, and political realities of these societies
• This can involve drawing on local knowledge, experiences, and intellectual traditions, as well as engaging in comparative analysis across diverse cultural contexts
• Scholars have proposed alternative frameworks for studying social movements in non-Western contexts
  • The "political culture" approach emphasizes the role of culturally specific values, beliefs, and practices in shaping social movement dynamics
  • The "postcolonial" approach highlights the ongoing legacies of colonialism and the need to decolonize social movement theory and practice
• Developing more culturally inclusive and context-sensitive theories of social movements can enrich our understanding of collective action and social change in an increasingly interconnected world