Context Analysis on Social Movements

Introduction

This context analysis on social movements aims to strengthen and deepen your understanding of social movements in your special context both historically and temporarily with a focus on potentials and barriers for movements to exist and succeed in achieving the change they are working for.

This analysis is from the guide – Toolbox: Building a Mindset Movement. This toolkit is a roadmap to empower Civil Society Organisations CSOs to adapt their organisational culture, practices and strategies to better align with the ideals of social movements.

Context Analysis

WHY

Get a (deeper) understanding of the nature of social movements both historically and currently in your specific context.

WHAT

An in-depth context analysis on social movements and the environment of movements in a specific regional or national context both historically and currently.

WHO

This analysis can be done in two ways:

1. On your own in the leadership or implementation team with input from movement representatives.
2. By engaging an external consultant with background and experience with movements and experience in analysis, research and communication.

Whether you do it yourselves or hire a consultant, it is key to infuse your organisation with external input – you need to know more than you did before the analysis.

HOW

Desk research on historical movements and conversations and interviews with current movement representatives and activists as well as with CSO representatives with experience working with movements.

Context Questions

Explore and dive into the questions one by one.

• How would you define movements in your context?
• What are key issues, themes and tendencies of movements historically in your context?
• Who are key social movements or groups currently and what are the issues they work with and their methods to do so?
• Describe the political context that social movements work in today.
• Describe the legislative and civic space for social movements today.
• List the opportunities that exist for movements in your context.
• What similarities and differences are in the opportunities you see and those highlighted by the activists?
• List the limitations or barriers that exist for movements in the current environment.
• What similarities and differences List the limitations or barriers that are there in the barriers you see exist for movements in the and those outlined by the activist current environment.
• What are previous successful experiences of collaboration between social movement and CSO or other civil space actors?
• List the key opportunities for movement collaboration with CSOs and other external actors.
• List the main barriers for movement collaboration with CSOs and other external actors.
• What are key recommendations for movement collaboration based on this context analysis?

Access Full Resource

Toolbox: Building a Movement Mindset – see pgs 6 – 7

Explore Further

• Contextual Analysis, WeRise Toolkit, JASS
• Mapping the Movement / Movement Ecology, Organisational Strategy, Org Builders Toolkit, NEON, see pgs 39-40
• Learning from History – Constructing a Timeline, JASS Power Guide
• Context Map Template
• Factors to Consider when Shaping Strategic Choices
• Campaign Strategy: Training and Planning Tools