Laurence Cox: Why Social Movements Matter
“We can often imagine that we are in this tiny little private bubble - but that’s not actually true. We’re already connected. We’re already part of an ecosystem. We’re already part of a society. You see, we’re already connected; social movements help you to see and inhabit that connection in a positive and creative way, rather than just sailing through it as though it is not there.”
Throughout history social movements have changed the world: they have shaped societies, created community, brought down power structures, shone light on deep injustice, and fought to protect and defend life, land, and liberty. But what does a social movement really look like? Who can be in one? And how do they effect change?
“You can think about social movements as this very scary thing, or maybe activism or protests as something you’ve seen on the news, but it’s not about doing something glamorous or dramatic or scary, it’s about seeing what’s actually needed right now, which might be sharing a message, going along to an event, or even helping to collect money.”
In this episode of EcoResolution Interviews, Ruby sits down with Laurence Cox, author of ‘Why Social Movements Matter’ and ‘We Make Our Own History : Marxism and Social Movements in the Twilight of Neoliberalism'. Together they discuss the history and role of social movements, how to maintain accountability, and the role of art and creativity in enabling change.
“If a movement is only made up of one kind of people it’s not really a movement - we’re just replacing one power structure with another.”
Learn more about Movement Building here.
Laurence Cox explores engaged and participatory approaches to social movements studies, with a special focus on ecology movements. He has been involved on the ground in social movements since before he started researching and writing, and also trains activists. He is the author of ‘Why Social Movements Matter’ and ‘We Make Our Own History : Marxism and Social Movements in the Twilight of Neoliberalism'. Find more here.
