Protest: the act of challenging, resisting, or making demands upon authorities, powerholders, and/or cultural beliefs and practices by some individual or group

Social movement: a collective, organized, sustained and noninstitutional challenge to authorities, powerholders, or cultural beliefs and practices.

Revolutionary movement: a social movement that seeks, at a minimum, to overthrow the government or state

The act of challenging, resisting, or making demands upon authorities,

power-holders, and/or cultural

beliefs and practices

by some individual or group

A challenge to authorities, power-holders cultural beliefs and

practices actions to promote or resist

social changethat is…

collective (multiple people) organized (coordinated, at

least to some degree) sustained (lasts a while,

not just one outburst) and non-institutional

(problematic – outside the “normal” structures or routines of society. Hard to define…)

Revolutionary movement: A specific type of social movement dedicated to carrying out a specific revolution.

Revolution: A social movement advancing exclusive claims to control of the state, or some segment of it.

Collective action (esp. protests): people act together in some concerted fashion.

Collective campaign: series of collective actions oriented toward the same general social change goal bounded by space, time, and/or participants

Social movement (alternative def): a complex set of collective campaigns and other collective events broadly oriented to the same general goal Emphasis on complexity, diffuse boundaries Competing definitions, orientations within the

movement

Can be extremely vague and ill-defined, especially for relatively unorganized turmoil expressing discontent without clear proposals: For example, vague goals such as “to make things better for farmers [or peasants, or poor urbanites]."

Organizations are more likely to articulate clear goals or proposals.

Different factions of the same movement may disagree about specific goals…i.e. different branches of women’s movement, Black movement, workers’ movements, gay movement.

A complex movement generally encompasses may specific and even competing goals within a broader more diffuse social change orientation

Coherent decision-making groups set goals, plan strategies, accumulate resources

Often seek directly to influence those who have power

Often plan events designed to draw in other people OR to influence other people’s opinions

May take many forms: moderate law-abiding, small informal or small clandestine, large bureaucratic, radical or disruptive, religious or secular

Demonstrations, mass protests: Typically planned by an organization or coalition of organizations, but may draw in many other people.

May also occur more spontaneously after a major precipitating event, or at a gathering formed for another purpose.

Riots, short-term insurrections: Typically not planned (although some may be incited). Generally build upon prior sentiments, organized on the spot.

Individual thoughts, ideas Isolated contributions,

usually financial Votes, public opinion,

“green” consumerism Some individuals take

extensive actions to promote their movements: one-person campaigns

Individual acts of interpersonal resistance and solidarity.

Challenge hierarchies and form solidarities in interpersonal relations.

What Drives Social Movements?

Universal issues: “everyone” benefits (in principle): peace, environment

Responses to economic crises, threats to subsistence, livelihood

Inequality issues Specific issue, moral

reform movements On behalf of yourself On behalf of others,

victims Think in terms of the social

structure of the issue

Examples: peace, war, the environment Despite universal claims, always contentious Peace: avoid war vs. use force to get rid of a

perceived problem War: potential for total destruction Environment: all are harmed if the planet is

destroyed, but the harms and the costs of protection are distributed unevenly

The groups supporting these issues tend to be tied to lifestyle, political, or religious subcultures, but not to deep social divisions

Oppressed people who form separate economically & politically weak communities (many ethnic/racial minorities). Few ties to dominant groups.

Class movements Reactive responses to subsistence threats Longer-term institutionalized movements seeking state

power These may be tied to deep social divisions

People who experience discrimination (e.g. women, gays, disabled, religious minorities) Typically integrated with other groups Vary in class position and level of economic deprivation Group members may disagree about whether

oppressed

Reform campaigns carried by formal organizations that raise money, lobby legislators, organize volunteers.

Interest groups, charitable groups. Larger pools of public opinion. Larger movements (e.g. women, Blacks, labor)

with many organizations, strong base, have won presence in the polity

Nationalist movements: broad upswelling of oppressed populations, revolutionary often unless it is repressed

Sporadic or unorganized uprisings or resistance by oppressed people

HUMAN RIGHTS: are the rights that all people have by virtue of being human beings.

HUMAN RIGHTS: are often defined internationally, nationally and locally by various law making bodies.

Modern Protection ofHuman Rights

United Nations

Regional Organizations

Local Non-Governmental Organizations

Antiquity Code of Hammurabi Rights of Athenian

citizens Medieval

Magna Carta (1215) Sir Thomas Aquinas’

theory of natural rights (13th Century)

Enlightenment English Declaration

of the Rights of Man (1689)

U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776)

French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789)

United States Constitution and Bill of Rights (1789)

Early Developments (cont.) International

Committee for the Red Cross (1863)

Geneva Convention (1864)

Hague Conventions (1899 and 1907)

League of Nations and the International Labor Organization (1919)

Aftermath of World War II Roosevelt’s Four

Freedoms Speech(January 6, 1941)

The Atlantic Charter Between the United States and Great Britain (August 14, 1941)

The Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals

Creation of the United Nations (1945)

The Preamble to the United Nations Charter states that the “Peoples of the United Nations” are determined “to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.”

In 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration enumerates civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, but the Declaration contains no provisions for monitoring or enforcement.

In 1966, the General Assembly adopted: The Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights (and its First Optional Protocol)

The Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

which, together with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are now known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Prohibits discrimination on the basis of

“race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status” without regard to citizenship

Prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (personal integrity)

Prohibits slavery Limits the use of the death penalty in

countries that allow it to the most serious crimes committed by persons over 18

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (cont.): Prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention Protects freedom of movement and

residence Protects the right to trial, presumption of

innocence, right to a lawyer, right to an appeal, freedom from self-incrimination, and freedom from double jeopardy

Protects freedom of opinion and expression Protects freedom of association and

assembly Public emergency exception (but torture,

executions, and slavery are never permissible!!!!)

Ratified by the United States in 1992!!!!

Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights:

Right of people to work and make a “decent living for themselves and their families”

Right to safe and healthy working conditions Right to form trade unions with the right to

strike Right of everyone to Social Security,

including social insurance “widest possible protection and assistance should be accorded to the family, which is the natural and fundamental group unit of society”

Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (cont.):

Right to adequate food, clothing and housing and to the continuous improvement of living conditions

Right to education Right to health care Economic rights are subject to each

country’s ability to provide such rights progressively as its resources permit

Signed but not ratified by the United States!!!

In addition to the International Bill of Human Rights, the United Nations has drafted and promulgated over 80 human rights instruments: genocide racial discrimination discrimination against

women refugee protection torture the rights of disabled

persons the rights of the child

Security Council General Assembly Economic and Social

Council Commission on

Human Rights Subcommission on

the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights

Commission on the Status of Women

Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

International Court of Justice

International Criminal Court

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (created by the General Assembly in 1993)

Treaty Monitoring Bodies Human Rights Committee Committee on the

Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

Committee Against Torture

Committee on the Rights of the Child

Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights

Congress and State Legislatures may enact legislation that specifically incorporates international law into domestic law

Judicial interpretation and application of existing legislative or constitutional provisions

American Refugee Committee

Center for Victims of Torture

Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy

School of the Americas Watch

Tibet Women's Association

Monitor elections and political trials

Investigate human rights and conditions Analyze human rights

practices in closed countries – Albania, North Korea, Saudi Arabia

Identify and analyze conflicts in Chiapas and Kosovo

Child slavery in Haiti; child health in Mexico, Uganda and the United States

Lobby United Nations Draft model statutes

Inquest procedures Forensic techniques Domestic violence

laws Represent political

asylum seekers Promote ratification

of human rights treaties

Influence Human Rights Foreign Policy

Public Education Work to abolish the death

penalty and represent inmates on death row

Train activists in Eastern Europe and Nepal to use international human rights law to eliminate domestic violence

Boycott companies that use child labor

Where Do Human Rights Begin?

In small places, close to home, so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person, the neighborhood he lives in, the factory, farm, or office where he worked. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Never Doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world, indeed that are the only ones that ever have.

Margret Mead

A little about poverty…

Poverty is the lack of basic necessities Poverty is the lack of basic necessities that all human beings must have: food that all human beings must have: food and water, shelter, education, medical and water, shelter, education, medical care, security, etc. care, security, etc. A multi-dimensional issue, poverty A multi-dimensional issue, poverty exceeds all social, economic, and exceeds all social, economic, and political boundaries. political boundaries. As such, efforts to alleviate poverty As such, efforts to alleviate poverty must be informed of a variety of must be informed of a variety of different factors.different factors.

                        

4.4 billion people live in developing countries. 4.4 billion people live in developing countries.

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a dayday

More than 80 percent of the world’s population More than 80 percent of the world’s population

lives in countries where income differentials are lives in countries where income differentials are wideningwidening

The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. accounts for 5 percent of global income.

The richest 20 percent accounts for three-The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world incomequarters of world income

The most recent estimate, released on October 14, 2009 by FAO,  says that 1.02 billion people are undernourished, a sizable increase from its 2006 estimate of  854 million people

The FAO estimate is based on statistical aggregates… 

It looks at a country's income level and income distribution and uses this information to estimate how many people receive such a low level of income that they are malnourished. 

The official poverty rate in 2008 was 13.2 percent, up from 12.5 percent in 2007. This was the first statistically significant annual increase in the poverty rate since 2004, when poverty increased to 12.7 percent from 12.5 percent in 2003.

In 2008, 39.8 million people were in poverty, up from 37.3 million in 2007 -- the second consecutive annual increase in the number of people in poverty.

In 2008, the poverty rate increased for non-Hispanic Whites (8.6 percent in 2008 -- up from 8.2 percent in 2007), Asians (11.8 percent in 2008 -- up from 10.2 percent in 2007) and Hispanics (23.2 percent in 2008 -- up from 21.5 percent in 2007). Poverty rates in 2008 were statistically unchanged for Blacks (24.7 percent).

The poverty rate in 2008 (13.2 percent) was the highest poverty rate since 1997 but was 9.2 percentage points lower than in 1959, the first year for which poverty estimates are available.

Since 1960, the number of people below poverty has not exceeded the 2008 figure of 39.8 million people.

The poverty rate increased for children under 18 years old (19.0 percent in 2008 -- up from 18.0 percent in 2007) and people 18 to 64 years old (11.7 percent in 2008 -- up from 10.9 percent in 2007), while it remained statistically unchanged for people 65 years and over (9.7 percent).

• Three-fifths lack basic sanitationThree-fifths lack basic sanitation

• Almost one third have no access to clean Almost one third have no access to clean waterwater

• A quarter do not have adequate housing A quarter do not have adequate housing

• A fifth have no access to modern health A fifth have no access to modern health services services

• As of 2008 (2005 statistics), the World Bank has calculated that there were an estimated 1,345 million poor people in developing countries who live on $1.25 a day or less

According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty

Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted.

Based on enrolment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 per cent of them were female

A study by the World Institute for Development Economics Research at United Nations University reports that the richest 1% of adults alone owned 40% of global assets in the year 2000, and that the richest 10% of adults accounted for 85% of the world total.

In 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the world In 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the world accounted for 76.6% of total private accounted for 76.6% of total private consumption. consumption.

The poorest fifth just 1.5%The poorest fifth just 1.5%

And yet…1.6 billion people — a quarter of And yet…1.6 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity humanity — live without electricity

The top three billionaires have assets The top three billionaires have assets greater than the combined GNP of all greater than the combined GNP of all under-developed countries and their 600 under-developed countries and their 600 million people. million people.

Everyone has the right to a Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of health and well-being of him/(her)self and his/(her) family, him/(her)self and his/(her) family, including food, clothing, housing including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary and medical care and necessary social services... Everyone has social services... Everyone has the right to education. the right to education.

Universal Declaration of Human RightsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights

What caused What caused this?this?

Trade Trade Third world countries lose out Third world countries lose out through unfair trade agreements, through unfair trade agreements, lack of technology and lack of technology and investment, and rapidly changing investment, and rapidly changing prices for their goods. prices for their goods.

Better communications and transport have led to a “globalized” economy. Companies look for low-cost countries to invest in. This can mean that, though there are jobs, they are low-paid.

When a country is at warWhen a country is at war(including civil war) basic(including civil war) basicservices like education areservices like education aredisrupted. disrupted. People leave their homes asPeople leave their homes asrefugees. refugees. Crops are destroyed.Crops are destroyed.

Third world countries have to pay interest Third world countries have to pay interest onon

their debts. their debts.

This means they cannot afford toThis means they cannot afford to

spend enough on basic services like healthspend enough on basic services like health

and education; nor on things like transport and education; nor on things like transport oror

communications that might attract communications that might attract investment.investment.

If you have land you can grow your own food.

But many people in the Third World have had their land taken over by large businesses, often to grow crops for export.

Affordable or free health care is necessary for development.

In poor countries the percentage of children who die under the age of five is much higher than in rich countries.

HIV/AIDS is having a devastating effect on the Third World.

HIV is now the single greatest threat to HIV is now the single greatest threat to future economic development in Africa. future economic development in Africa. AIDS kills adults in the prime of their AIDS kills adults in the prime of their working and parenting lives, decimates working and parenting lives, decimates the work force, fractures and the work force, fractures and impoverishes families, orphans impoverishes families, orphans millions...millions...· Callisto Madavo, vice-president of · Callisto Madavo, vice-president of the World Bank, Africa region 1999the World Bank, Africa region 1999

Affordable, secure food supplies are vital.Affordable, secure food supplies are vital.Malnutrition causes severe health Malnutrition causes severe health

problems,problems,and can also affect education. and can also affect education. Without education it is difficult to escape Without education it is difficult to escape

fromfrompoverty. poverty. This becomes a vicious circle – people whoThis becomes a vicious circle – people wholive in poverty cannot afford to send theirlive in poverty cannot afford to send theirchildren to school. children to school.

When we measure poverty we find

differences between the level experienced by men or boys, and women or girls. Women may be disadvantaged through lack of access to education; in some countries they are not allowed to own or inherit land; they are less well paid than men.

United Nations Statistics…

A child born in an industrialised country will add more to pollution over his or her lifetime than 30-50 children born in the Third World.

However, the third world child is likely to experience the consequences of pollution in a much more devastating way.

For example, annual carbon dioxide emissions have quadrupled in the last 50 years. This contributes to global warming, leading to devastating changes in weather patterns. As a result, Bangladesh could lose up to 17% of its land area as water levels rise.

Not a lot…

Aid Aid Access to basic services for everyone would cost Access to basic services for everyone would cost approximately $US40 billion more per year than is approximately $US40 billion more per year than is spent now. This is 0.1% of world income. World spent now. This is 0.1% of world income. World military spending is $US780 billion per year. US$50 military spending is $US780 billion per year. US$50 billion is spent on cigarettes in Europe every year. billion is spent on cigarettes in Europe every year.

Fair trade Fair trade Fair trade guarantees higher, more stable prices for Fair trade guarantees higher, more stable prices for third world producers. Look out for products with a third world producers. Look out for products with a Fairtrade Mark. Fairtrade Mark.

Before you finish eating breakfast in the morning, you’ve depended on more than half the world.

– Martin Luther King

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade.

It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.

Fair Trade Organizations (backed by consumers) are actively engaged in supporting producers, in awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practices of conventional international trade

Providing workers in developing countries with a fair wage on which they can feed, educate and medically provide for themselves and their children.

You can buy many products Fair Trade: coffee clothes wine bananas chocolate

Direct purchasing from producersDirect purchasing from producers

Transparent and long term trading Transparent and long term trading relationshipsrelationships

Agreed minimum pricesAgreed minimum prices

Focus on development and technical Focus on development and technical assistance via the payment to suppliers assistance via the payment to suppliers of an agreed social premium of an agreed social premium

““FairFairer er Trade” Trade” WTO negotiations e.g. WTO negotiations e.g. Legislative barriers, Technical barriers, Legislative barriers, Technical barriers, Liberalization…etcLiberalization…etc..

““Ethical Trade” Ethical Trade” Conditions and rights of Conditions and rights of Labor, typically associated with Labor, typically associated with manufacturing in the developing world.manufacturing in the developing world.

““Fair Trade” Fair Trade” Confronting the Confronting the disempowered position of the producer disempowered position of the producer that is a consequence of market that is a consequence of market imperfections.imperfections.

Producing organizations (co-operatives of Producing organizations (co-operatives of small farmers)small farmers)

Buying organizations (different business Buying organizations (different business models, some for profit, some non-profit)models, some for profit, some non-profit)

Outlet organizations (In practice some Outlet organizations (In practice some retailers import directly from the retailers import directly from the producers)producers)

Labelling/Umbrella organizations: The Labelling/Umbrella organizations: The certifiers and the standard setterscertifiers and the standard setters

Market share is small, but Market share is small, but growthgrowth in the in the sector is strong.sector is strong.

In terms of total global trade, fair trade In terms of total global trade, fair trade products account for only about 0.01%. products account for only about 0.01%.

Approximately two-thirds of fair trade’s Approximately two-thirds of fair trade’s value is accredited to Europe.value is accredited to Europe.

Total gross sales of fair trade products to Total gross sales of fair trade products to North America amounted to about North America amounted to about $358.91 million in 2004,a 30% increase $358.91 million in 2004,a 30% increase compared to 2003.compared to 2003.

Coffee accounts for approximately 30% of Coffee accounts for approximately 30% of all Fairall Fair

Trade sales in Europe and North AmericaTrade sales in Europe and North America

Belgium 1.70%Belgium 1.70% Denmark Denmark 3.40%3.40% Finland Finland 0.40% 0.40% France 0.40%France 0.40% Germany Germany 1.10%1.10% Italy Italy 0.30% 0.30% Holland Holland 2.90% 2.90%

Within the Fair Trade movement itself it is Within the Fair Trade movement itself it is acknowledged that the definition of a “fair acknowledged that the definition of a “fair price” is problematic. price” is problematic.

Fair Trade Base price = Cost of production Fair Trade Base price = Cost of production + cost of living + cost of complying with + cost of living + cost of complying with Fair Trade standardsFair Trade standards

Costs of production and costs of living are Costs of production and costs of living are determined at the country specific level determined at the country specific level

Incentives are distorted by setting minimum prices.Incentives are distorted by setting minimum prices.

““Temporary crutch”–prolongs economic dependence of Temporary crutch”–prolongs economic dependence of producers by reliance on a niche market of socially-producers by reliance on a niche market of socially-conscious consumers. conscious consumers.

Some consumer surveys suggest limited willingness to Some consumer surveys suggest limited willingness to pay a premium for “causes”.pay a premium for “causes”.

Gives certain groups advantages over others (is not a Gives certain groups advantages over others (is not a universally accessible scheme). universally accessible scheme).

Specialty producers are most likely to participate but are Specialty producers are most likely to participate but are least affected by low commodity prices.least affected by low commodity prices.

A truly significant effect on producers requires A truly significant effect on producers requires much broader efforts.much broader efforts.

Inefficient means of transferring income from Inefficient means of transferring income from consumer to producer; a direct transfer would consumer to producer; a direct transfer would economically be more efficient.economically be more efficient.

Probably does not reduce price volatility, as Probably does not reduce price volatility, as producers are uncertain how much Fair Trade producers are uncertain how much Fair Trade Product can be sold at the Fair Trade price.Product can be sold at the Fair Trade price.

More market-friendly options exist (such as More market-friendly options exist (such as promoting products in home markets, making promoting products in home markets, making market information more accessible to producers, market information more accessible to producers, moving into higher-value product Markets).moving into higher-value product Markets).

There is no shortage of feel good stories: Farmer There is no shortage of feel good stories: Farmer X in country Y is very happy with fair trade for X in country Y is very happy with fair trade for reason Zreason Z

What is achievable?What is achievable?1.To quantitatively isolate the fair trade 1.To quantitatively isolate the fair trade

component of component of impact.impact.2.To control for different products within 2.To control for different products within

different co-different co- operatives and if performance operatives and if performance varies between different varies between different traders and traders and different labeling organizations.different labeling organizations.

3.To investigate the supply chain and try 3.To investigate the supply chain and try to offer an to offer an understanding of what constitutes understanding of what constitutes ‘unfair’.‘unfair’.