Five key factors determine whether controversial protests are more likely to spark backlash or create positive outcomes.
Author
Mark Engler
Why Protests Work, Even When Not Everybody Likes Them
Paul and Mark Engler look at why protests work but how protest is inherently polarizing — and how movements can win in a polarized context.
From the Berlin Wall to Today — Lessons for Harnessing the Moment of the Whirlwind
What mainstream commentators get wrong about the historic uprisings of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and what civil resistance gets right.
Should we disrupt the Democratic Party or try to take it over?
How movements settle the debate on whether to engage with political parties from the inside or outside will have a profound impact on their effectiveness.
Surviving the Ups and Downs of Social Movements: The Perception of Failure (Part 2)
In the second part of this article Mark and Paul Engler further explore Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan and its implications for social movements.
Surviving the Ups and Downs of Social Movements
We tend to talk about activist burnout as an individualised experience – but the Movement Action Plan, a framework for understanding social movements, factors in perception of failure, providing insights and hope for navigating the downs in movement life.
How to Make Sure Your Disruptive Protest Helps Your Cause
Five key factors determine whether controversial protests are more likely to spark backlash or create positive outcomes.
Why Protests Work, Even When Not Everybody Likes Them
Paul and Mark Engler look at why protests work but how protest is inherently polarizing — and how movements can win in a polarized context.
From the Berlin Wall to Today — Lessons for Harnessing the Moment of the Whirlwind
What mainstream commentators get wrong about the historic uprisings of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and what civil resistance gets right.
Should we disrupt the Democratic Party or try to take it over?
How movements settle the debate on whether to engage with political parties from the inside or outside will have a profound impact on their effectiveness.
Surviving the Ups and Downs of Social Movements: The Perception of Failure (Part 2)
In the second part of this article Mark and Paul Engler further explore Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan and its implications for social movements.
Surviving the Ups and Downs of Social Movements
We tend to talk about activist burnout as an individualised experience – but the Movement Action Plan, a framework for understanding social movements, factors in perception of failure, providing insights and hope for navigating the downs in movement life.