Global Structure for Social and Political Change - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theGlobal Structure for Social and Political Change. Answer: The role of the internet in generating social and political change In a systematic study, Butsch (2007) points out that with the advancement of new technology, the internet and specifically social media is adopted for different uses in both political and social platforms. Online money-bombs, virtual petitions, forums for debating issues, and emails for recruitments for protests and meetings are all strategies adopted by political activists in engaging the citizen with the aim of influencing various political processes. Eltantawy and Wiest (2007) also denote that social movements across the political arena are among technological platforms adopted in effecting change while influencing party politics. However, little is known on how what difference it makes or how it is used to achieve the projected results. Internet or social media is used to overcome obstactacles to social and political participation Leenders and Heydemann (2012). For instance, online groups overcome challenges like time constrains, low income, and lack of skills within the participants. Online movements allow people to choose what and when to click without any charge on membership dues. It hence encourages participation with the aim of allowing the participants to share opinions, keep informed, donate finances, and sign petitions. Hawkins (2013) also denotes that successful online political or social groups use networking and internet communication in teaching the support on new skills hence getting them involved in the real world. The strategy as well allows the use of actions models in disseminating information and get in touch with other social or political supporters. Effective political groups also adopt technology use to engage the public in getting decision making support. For instance, hosting forums for discu ssion and asking participants to give their opinions about highlighted issues sustains support for the course as the members will see the organization as responsive and democratic to their feedback. Social media is also used to help movements to downplay controversies while stressing on big ideas according to Butsch (2007). Rather than promoting detailed platforms on specialized causes, internet savvy political activists in focusing to sell big ideas that can promote change to the world. In such cases, they get chances of stressing themes that can unify rather than divide people from various backgrounds. In other words, successful social movements avoid issues that can divide supporters as they manage what is featured in their message. They hence adopt priorities that unite supporters while learning what might reduce enthusiasm. Hawkins (2013) also denotes that the ability of social media in leveraging internet communication strategies with effectiveness help in changing dynamics between political parties and movements. Political and social movements have always pressured parties while internet movements have quick and heavy impacts. As a result, savvy movement use earned media, advertising, and viral campaigns in building support for their issues while forcing political parties to take up their cause. Other parties also use social media as platforms for raising financial support for their activities, an aspect that has been seen to be successful as long as there is a will of the people towards achieving the same objective. In conclusion, internet and social media can effectively be use in promoting both social and political change in the community. Effect of Environmental Justice Movement on the Social Change According to Refle (2015) social movements are groups of people organized with a purpose of working towards a specified goal like creating a change, resist a change or to offering a global voice as a result, the social movements always create social change among the individuals. Miladi (2016) defines social change as significant alterations on behavioral patterns and culture on a specific group of people for a given period as a result of a social movement. The most common social movements include Brights Movement, environmental Justice Movement, and many others. The paper examines how the Environmental Justice movement has affected the social change and how its elements incorporated into the mainstream of politics and culture. Environmental justice movements formed in United States, with a purpose of improving and maintain an environment that is clean and healthful through reducing the pollutions since human and environment affect each other. Banerjee (2013) explains that the movement championed by African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans that lived in the polluted environment as a result of frequent hazardous dumps of waste on their ecology, that thereafter perceived as a form of environmental racism. The occupants characterized by their frequent protestations against the government that led to a number of violence and destructions of properties. Environmental justice movement has gained momentum and brought different social changes across the world through giving voice to those that lived in the most damaged and polluted lands to air their grievances resulting into more communal solidarity. The continual fight for clean environments, reduction on the loss of lives and address on abuses on land dispossession. Hawkins (2013) observes that the social movement improved both the economic and human rights of the victims that lived in those polluted and damaged lands globally as the movements are connected. The campaign has formed a vast continuum of activism passed from one individual to another through different generations that adopt different styles, organizational structure, and policies to achieve. The environmental movement has dominated in some legal issues and debates that have seen the formation of many policies and bill of rights and global activists to protect the social justice and nature according to Jamison (2010). The bills and acts have seen the reclamation of lands exhausted through mining of mineral resources, the provision of title deeds to the blacks and climate change. As a result, the occupants have learned and adopted one another living with respect. The policies have also to some extent changed the culture of some communities such as the Anglo-Saxon, the Zulus, known for their hunting and fishing activities restricted by the anti-gaming policies. Such policies have forced the communities to change their cultural events such as wearing animal skins, to wearing clothes and to other economic activities that do not affect the environment as explained by Welstead (2017). Most of the countries have recognized the formally formed social movements that are legitimate and offered various supports such as resources and legal protections; therefore it has moved from a more mobilizing agent for populist protest to a more goal-oriented professional organization. References Banerjee, D. (2013). Environmental Justice and the State: Expert Knowledge and Local Discourses in an Environmental Justice Movement. Environmental Justice, 6(5), 183-187. https://dx.doi.org/10.1089/env.2013.0025 Butsch, R. (ed.). 2007. Media and public spheres. Basingstoke, UK. Eltantawy, N, Wiest, J B. (2007). Social Media in the Egyptian Revolution: Reconsidering Resource Mobilization Theory. Journal of Communication 5:1207-1224. Jamison, A. (2010). Climate change knowledge and social movement theory. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1(6), 811-823. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wcc.88 Leenders, R, Heydemann, S. (2012). Popular Mobilization in Syria: Opportunity and Threat, and the Social Networks of the Early Risers. Mediterranean Politics, 17(2), pp139-59 Miladi, N. (2016). Social Media and Social Change. Digest Of Middle East Studies, 25(1), 36-51. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dome.12082 Refle, J. (2015). What is a Social Movement?. Social Movement Studies, 15(2), 244-245. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14742837.2015.1027765 Welstead, J. (2017). How climate change comes to matter; the communal life of facts. Social Movement Studies, 16(3), 370-371. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14742837.2017.1279961