Social Movement

NAME: OGUTI SEBESTIAN OSWIN

INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS STUDIES-IIS JILIN UNIVERSITY-CHINA
TOPIC: A liberation movement in Uganda: a case of the Lord Resistance Movement/Army (LRM/A) 1986 – 2006.
Abstract
This paper is set within the theory of sociology of learning and social movement frame work. It will examine documents/reports from government and non governmental organizations, personal experience and observation as a resident of a geographical space where the social movement occurred, private studies about the movement and government responses, and reports from the International community in understanding the movement. It shows that people who are victims of political, economic and social marginalization are pushed and pulled to join social movements. Their memberships transform them into actors in changing their own circumstances. They are push/pulled to take actions not because of their personal understanding, but because of institutionalized factors that affects their livelihoods. Four main interests run throughout the paper. The first provides the analysis of Social Movement (SM); the second, summarizes the character/profile of the LRM/A, and the third part provides the theoretical implications of the movements with particular emphasis on learning. And the last part offers a conclusion.

Introduction The turbulent post-independence history of Uganda was marred by persistent conflicts due to the legacy of British colonial administration. The British divide and rule policy manipulated pre-existing differences as tools of colonial governance bequeathing tenuous nationalism and a fractured national state. The divide and rule policy impeded the emergence of a Ugandan nationalism and perpetrated ethnic, religious and regional divisions. The combination of these factors has contributed to instability and political violence during the reigns of former dictator Idi Amin [1972-79], Obote II [1982 – 85] and

References: David S. Meyer (2003).”Political Opportunity and Nested Institutions”. Social Movement Studies, Carfax Publishing. Deborah W. Kilogore (1999). Understanding Learning in Social Movement: a theory of collective learning. International Journal of Life Long Education, Vol. 18, No. 3 Dr Godwin and Jasper (2003): Social Movement Theory 3 Institute for Security Studies (2003) Joe Freeman (1999). Waves of Protest: Social Movements Since the Sixties, ed. by Jo Freeman and Victoria Johnson, Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield, 1999. Melvin F Hall (1995). Poor People’s Social Movement Organizations. West Port, Conn. 2 Editions.p.2 "Magic Gone For Jailed Priestess: Suicidal Crusade Against Uganda Appears At End" Chicago Tribune, Jan.02,1988 The Scars of Death: Children Abducted by the Lord 's Resistance Army in Uganda," Human Rights Watch/Africa/Human Rights Watch Children 's Rights Project, New York, 1997. http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/uganda Tilly (1987) Social Movements as Politics UNICEF (2005), Northern Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report, October 2005 "Uganda rebel 's mum in peace move." BBC News Rubin, James (2000): LRA Attacks in Northern Uganda. U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman. Press Statement, 6 January 2000. Sidney Turrow (1998 p5). Power in Social Movement. Social Movements and Contentious Politics, Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics. 2nd Edition Cornell University, New York ----------------------- [2] Tilly (1987 p7) Social Movements as Politics [3] Melvin F Hall (1995) [4] Deborah W. Kilgore (1999 p 48-49). Understanding Learning in Social Movement: a theory of collective learning. International Journal of Life Long Education, Vol. 18, No. 3 [5] Stephen G [7] Clifford Bob (2002). Political Process Theory and Transnational Movements: Dialectics of Protest among Nigeria’s Ogoni minority. Journal and Digital Publishing Division. University of California Press. [10] "Uganda rebel 's mum in peace move." BBC News. 24 July 2006. 15 Feb 2007 [11] UNICEF (2005), Northern Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report, October 2005 [12] The Scars of Death: Children Abducted by the Lord 's Resistance Army in Uganda," Human Rights Watch/Africa/Human Rights Watch Children 's Rights Project, New York, 1997. http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/uganda [13] Joe Freeman (1999) [14] Sidney Turrow (1998 p5). Power in Social Movement. Social Movements and Contentious Politics, Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics. 2nd Edition [15] David S [16] Sidney Turrow (1998 p 23) [17] Deborah H [18] Institute for Security Studies (2003 p 11). Violence, Reconciliation and Identity: The Reintegration of the LRA child Abductees in Northern Uganda. [19] Rubin, James (2000): LRA Attacks in Northern Uganda. U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman. Press Statement, 6 January 2000. [20] Godwin and Jasper (2003 p165): Social Movement Theory 3 [21] Deborah W [22] Dr. Budd Hall and Dr. Thomas Turay (2006 p9): “Social Movement Learning”. University of British Columbia [23] Turrow Sidney (1998) [25] ibid [26] Weekly Mail & Guardian, Oct., 1997 [27] Deborah (1999 p 199)