What Makes a Social Movement Successful : Leadership
What Makes a Social Movement Successful: Is Leadership the Deciding Factor?
Political Science, Social Science Major (Class of 2012)
Virginia Wesleyan College
Social movements have a tremendous impact on our society and it is important that we understand how those movements are shaped. As individuals we are all part of a greater society and could be called upon to stand up for human rights. Understanding how to shape social movements so they have better chances of succeeding could mean the difference between a society that guides improved human rights and one that loses sight. There is a great deal of literature on social movements and it has become increasing popular since the Vietnam Era of social protest. The literature typically analyses social movements and seeks to classify various aspects of social movements, but very little exists on how to make social movements successful, how to shape them, and how to lead them. My research looks to uncover the causes of social movements and find leaders that make them happen. Through the analysis of charismatic figureheads that gain media attention, to the local community members who decide to take action, this paper looks to define leadership characteristics and how they apply to social movement success. Leaders certainly come in many forms and identifying how they influence social movement success is a critical step to better a better understanding of how to shape our future.
What Makes a Social Movement Successful: Is Leadership the Deciding Factor?
Research Question: Does Leadership play a central role in determining if a social movement will be considered a successful one?
Introduction
When looking at social movements it is important to understand what makes them successful. Governments are in place to guide our communities in a direction of prosperity, when those governments fail to listen to the will of the people; social movements are what society relies on for social change. To
Political Science, Social Science Major (Class of 2012)
Virginia Wesleyan College
Social movements have a tremendous impact on our society and it is important that we understand how those movements are shaped. As individuals we are all part of a greater society and could be called upon to stand up for human rights. Understanding how to shape social movements so they have better chances of succeeding could mean the difference between a society that guides improved human rights and one that loses sight. There is a great deal of literature on social movements and it has become increasing popular since the Vietnam Era of social protest. The literature typically analyses social movements and seeks to classify various aspects of social movements, but very little exists on how to make social movements successful, how to shape them, and how to lead them. My research looks to uncover the causes of social movements and find leaders that make them happen. Through the analysis of charismatic figureheads that gain media attention, to the local community members who decide to take action, this paper looks to define leadership characteristics and how they apply to social movement success. Leaders certainly come in many forms and identifying how they influence social movement success is a critical step to better a better understanding of how to shape our future.
What Makes a Social Movement Successful: Is Leadership the Deciding Factor?
Research Question: Does Leadership play a central role in determining if a social movement will be considered a successful one?
Introduction
When looking at social movements it is important to understand what makes them successful. Governments are in place to guide our communities in a direction of prosperity, when those governments fail to listen to the will of the people; social movements are what society relies on for social change. To
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