6. References
1. https://tonyserve.wordpress.com/tag/uranium-mining/ (Accessed 24 May 2014)
2. http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/22/every-movement-needs-a-symbol-enter-the-wisconsin-fist-of-solidarity/ Wisconsin
(Accessed 24 May 2014)
3. http://www.examiner.com/article/social-movements-and-democracy (Accessed 24 May 2014)
4. http://www.openculture.com/2011/11/posters_from_occupy_wall_street.html (Accessed 24 May 2014)
5. Johnston, H. (Ed.). (2009). Culture, social movements, and protest. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
6. http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1906434_1861262,00.html (Accessed 24 May 2014)
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8. http://unceduc415.pbworks.com/w/page/24311504/2)%20Overview (Accessed 24 May 2014)
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10. Johnston, H. (Ed.). (2009). Culture, social movements, and protest. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
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18. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/australia-is-not-ready-to-say-we-do-to-gay-marriage-20111124-
1nwy2.html (Accessed 24 May 2014)
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20. http://www.michellehenry.fr/june09.htm (Accessed 24 May 2014)
21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKpHfNgU_Aw&list=FLREPamP892LJnJfJNWYKfPQ (Accessed 24 May 2014)
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Editor's Notes
Social movements are collective actions of likeminded people who act for social change. They are spontaneous yet sustained actions for change. Social movements have come in many forms; from trade union strikes to the Occupy movement, they all involve a common outlook for social improvement in some form. It is hard to gauge the success, or lack thereof, of a social movement. Success cannot always be gauged on physical changes that have been made, sometimes their success can be harder to notice, when it is just keeping the cause in the public consciousness. 5
The civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s plays a central role in race narratives in contemporary politics. It has become and ingrained part of American history, with Martin Luther King day being established in the 1980’s. Student protests in the 1960’s ensured that war stayed on the political agenda so politicians and policy makers would regularly have to address the issue10.
Despite social movements needing a centralised and specialised organising force to be successful15, the Occupy movement managed 1,039 events in 87 countries. While overall the Occupy movement failed to make any changes to the global banking market and government policies, it did make it a political topic to be addressed.
While people who were previously apathetic to being part of the 99% may have had their consciousnesses awakened, the marriage equality movement has different and increased hurdles. With the momentum gained in their movement, there have been greater setbacks in certain countries, which have further oppressed gay rights by criminalising any sexuality other than heterosexual.
Protesting in democratic countries can become dangerous, but under authoritarian governments, doing so can be fatal. If campaigns are nonviolent and governments respond with violence, not only does the regime lose legitimacy domestically, but also internationally22.
