Social Change and Social Change and MovementsMovements

John A. CagleJohn A. Cagle

Dana Cloud: Key questionsDana Cloud: Key questions How does social change happen?How does social change happen? What has worked for social movements in the past? What has worked for social movements in the past? Are those strategies still valid in the present? Are those strategies still valid in the present? What is the balance among rhetorical and other What is the balance among rhetorical and other

(economic, cultural, political) factors in determining (economic, cultural, political) factors in determining opportunities for and outcomes of movements for opportunities for and outcomes of movements for social change? social change?

What are the usual stages of social movements and What are the usual stages of social movements and what are the rhetorical tasks of each stage? what are the rhetorical tasks of each stage?

How have movements interacted with, built upon, How have movements interacted with, built upon, and/or challenged other movements? and/or challenged other movements?

What various ideological camps are present in What various ideological camps are present in each movement and what rhetorical markers each movement and what rhetorical markers distinguish these positions? distinguish these positions?

How do we know when a social movement has How do we know when a social movement has succeeded? succeeded?

What have been the relationships between social What have been the relationships between social movements and mass consciousness, popular movements and mass consciousness, popular culture, and political and legal reform? culture, and political and legal reform?

What should be the role of scholars in evaluating What should be the role of scholars in evaluating and participating in social movements? and participating in social movements?

Bowers & Ochs’ Rhetoric Bowers & Ochs’ Rhetoric of Agitation and Controlof Agitation and Control

RhetoricRhetoric is the rationale of instrumental is the rationale of instrumental symbolic behavior.symbolic behavior.

AgitationAgitation exists when exists when 1.1. people outside the normal decision-making people outside the normal decision-making

establishment establishment 2.2. advocate significant social change and advocate significant social change and 3.3. encounter a degree of resistance within the encounter a degree of resistance within the

establishment such as to require more than the establishment such as to require more than the normal discursive means of persuasion.normal discursive means of persuasion.

ControlControl refers to the response of the refers to the response of the decision-making establishment.decision-making establishment.

Two kinds of agitationTwo kinds of agitation

Agitation based on Agitation based on vertical deviancevertical deviance occurs when the agitators subscribe to occurs when the agitators subscribe to the value system of the establishment, the value system of the establishment, but dispute the distribution of benefits or but dispute the distribution of benefits or power with that value system.power with that value system.

Agitation based on Agitation based on lateral deviancelateral deviance occurs when the agitators dispute the occurs when the agitators dispute the value system itself.value system itself.

French & Raven’s French & Raven’s Bases of Social PowerBases of Social Power

RewardReward CoerciveCoercive LegitimateLegitimate ReferentReferent ExpertExpert

Strategies Tacticspetition of the establishment normal discursive means of persuasion

promulgationinformational picketing, erection of posters, distribution of handbills and leaflets, exploitation of the media, seeking legitimizers, staging newsworthy events

solidificationplays, songs, slogans, expressive and esoteric symbols, in-group publicaitons

polarization flag issues, flag individuals, invention of derogatory jargon

nonviolent resistance

violating laws and customs considered to be unjust, seeks to win friendship of opposition, active spiritually, suffer without retaliation, all attention to flag issues not personnel, persistence

escalation/confrontation

establishments over-preparation turned against it, goading establishment into disproportionate violence; threatened disruption, nonverbal offensive, verbal obscene deprecation, nonverbal obscenity, token violence

guerrilla and Gandhi two groups, one nonviolent, the other violentguerrilla physical, underground attacks, both real and symbolicrevolution war

Agitation

Strategies Tactics

avoidancecounterpersuasion, evasion, "buck passing," postponement, secrecy with a rationale, denial of means with justifying rationale

suppressionharassment of agitation leaders, denial of demands, banishment, purgation, excommunication, expulsion, academic suspension, jail

adjustment

changing the name of an agency, sacrificing personnel, accepting some of the means of agitation, incorporate some of the agititation personnel, incorporate parts of the dissident ideology

capitulation surrender to agitators, rarely voluntary

Control

Critical variables Critical variables

AgitationAgitation Actual membershipActual membership Potential membershipPotential membership Rhetorical sophisticationRhetorical sophistication

ControlControl PowerPower Strength of ideologyStrength of ideology Rhetorical sophisticationRhetorical sophistication

Generalization AGeneralization A

An agitative group low in rhetorical An agitative group low in rhetorical sophistication uses the strategies of sophistication uses the strategies of nonviolent resistance, nonviolent resistance, escalation/confrontation, Gandhi and escalation/confrontation, Gandhi and guerrilla, or guerrilla prematurely, before guerrilla, or guerrilla prematurely, before the possibilities of petition, promulgation, the possibilities of petition, promulgation, solidification, and polarization have been solidification, and polarization have been exhausted.exhausted.

Contributors toContributors to Intergroup Conflict Intergroup Conflict

Perceptual Differences resulting fromPerceptual Differences resulting from Different Goal, Time, and/or Social OrientationsDifferent Goal, Time, and/or Social Orientations Different Attitudinal Sets - competitive vs. cooperative and Different Attitudinal Sets - competitive vs. cooperative and

cosmopolitan vs. localcosmopolitan vs. local Status Differences - rank and standing relative to othersStatus Differences - rank and standing relative to others

The Nature of Task RelationshipsThe Nature of Task Relationships Task Interaction - similar to interdependenceTask Interaction - similar to interdependence Task Ambiguity - not understanding responsibilities and Task Ambiguity - not understanding responsibilities and

requirementsrequirements Power DifferencesPower Differences

Lower power if group is considered substitutableLower power if group is considered substitutable How able a group can adapt to changes impact on that group’s How able a group can adapt to changes impact on that group’s

powerpower Controlling and having access to resources gives a group powerControlling and having access to resources gives a group power

An Overview of An Overview of Intergroup ConflictIntergroup Conflict

Interdependence

Differences in goals-Limited resources-Reward structures

Differences in perceptions-Different goals-Different time horizons-Status incongruency-Inaccurate perceptions

Increased demand forspecialists

Causes of Intergroup Conflict

Dysfunctional Consequences

Changes within group

Increases in cohesivenessRise in autocratic leadershipFocus on activityEmphasis on loyalty

Changes between groups

Distorted perceptionsNegative StereotypingDecrease in Communica- tions

Functional Consequences

Awareness of Problem

Search for solutions

Change and adaptation

Problem solvingSuperordinate goalsExpansion of resourcesAvoidanceForcingSmoothingCompromiseAltering human variableAltering structural variablesIdentifying common enemy

Conflict Resolution Techniques

Positive movement toward organizational goals

Survival of organization

Intergroup Conflict

either

or

Action linesInfluence lines

results in

results in

results in

results in

Managing Conflict StrategiesManaging Conflict Strategies

Assertive

Unassertive

Collaborating

Accomodating

Forcing

Avoiding

CooperativeUncooperatives

Compromising

Party’s Desire to Satisfy Others’ Concerns

Party’s Desire to Satisfy Own Concerns

Intervention Styles

Conflict Management: Conflict Management: Strategies & TacticsStrategies & Tactics

Avoidance BehaviorsAvoidance Behaviors Direct denialDirect denial Implicit denialImplicit denial Evasive remarkEvasive remark Topic shiftsTopic shifts Topic AvoidanceTopic Avoidance Abstract remarksAbstract remarks Noncommital statementsNoncommital statements Noncommital questionsNoncommital questions Procedural remarksProcedural remarks

Cooperative behaviorsCooperative behaviors DescriptionDescription QualificationQualification DisclosureDisclosure Soliciting disclosureSoliciting disclosure Soliciting criticismSoliciting criticism Empathy or supportEmpathy or support ConcessionsConcessions Accepting responsibilityAccepting responsibility

Competitive behaviorsCompetitive behaviors Personal criticismPersonal criticism RejectionRejection Hostile imperativesHostile imperatives Hostile questioningHostile questioning Hostile joking or sarcasmHostile joking or sarcasm Presumptive attributionPresumptive attribution Denial of responsibilityDenial of responsibility

Confrontation Meeting - subgroups meet Confrontation Meeting - subgroups meet to identify conflicts and develop action to identify conflicts and develop action plans to eliminate them.plans to eliminate them.

Third-Party Interventions - third party acts Third-Party Interventions - third party acts as mediator, arbitrator, or fact finder - as mediator, arbitrator, or fact finder - generally done in union/management generally done in union/management situations.situations.

Managing Conflict Managing Conflict StrategiesStrategies

Focus on Structural Focus on Structural MechanismsMechanisms

Hierarchy - senior individual coordinates the Hierarchy - senior individual coordinates the activities of two interacting groups, e.g., Executive activities of two interacting groups, e.g., Executive VP.VP.

Plans and Goals - that interacting groups Plans and Goals - that interacting groups understand and agree to.understand and agree to.

Linking Roles - person placed in a lateral position to Linking Roles - person placed in a lateral position to act a conduit between groups, generally temporary act a conduit between groups, generally temporary function.function.

Task Forces - groups generally made up of one Task Forces - groups generally made up of one representative from each group.representative from each group.

Integrating Roles or Units - e.g., a project manager Integrating Roles or Units - e.g., a project manager who permanently links groups.who permanently links groups.

Project or Product Structure - have people from Project or Product Structure - have people from different teams comprise groups to service a different teams comprise groups to service a specific customer base.specific customer base.

Matrix Organization - having people report to more Matrix Organization - having people report to more than one boss, e.g., project manager and VP of than one boss, e.g., project manager and VP of R&D.R&D.

Kenneth Burke’s Kenneth Burke’s DramatismDramatism

The range of rhetoric is wide.The range of rhetoric is wide. All life is drama.All life is drama. Drama features human motives.Drama features human motives. Hierarchy is fundamental to human Hierarchy is fundamental to human

symbolism.symbolism. Rhetoric promises transcendence.Rhetoric promises transcendence. Rhetoric is fueled by the negative.Rhetoric is fueled by the negative.

Burke’s DramatismBurke’s Dramatism

The The ActAct is the basic concept of is the basic concept of dramatism.dramatism.

ActionAction consists of purposeful voluntary consists of purposeful voluntary acts; acts; motionsmotions are nonpurposeful, are nonpurposeful, nonmeaningful acts.nonmeaningful acts.

SymbolismSymbolism

The individual is a biological and neurological The individual is a biological and neurological being, distinguished by symbol-using behavior, being, distinguished by symbol-using behavior, the ability to act.the ability to act.

People are symbol-creating, symbol-using, and People are symbol-creating, symbol-using, and symbol-misusing animals.symbol-misusing animals.

Burke’s view of symbols is broad, including an Burke’s view of symbols is broad, including an array of linguistic and nonverbal elements.array of linguistic and nonverbal elements.

People filter reality through a symbolic screen.People filter reality through a symbolic screen.

Rhetorical AnalysisRhetorical Analysis Kenneth Burke’s Pentad: act, scene, Kenneth Burke’s Pentad: act, scene,

agent, agency, and purposeagent, agency, and purpose Pentadic ratios can be used to define the Pentadic ratios can be used to define the

central relationship of any central relationship of any communication: scene-act, scene-communication: scene-act, scene-agency, scene-purpose, act-purpose, agency, scene-purpose, act-purpose, act-agent, act-agency, agent-purpose, act-agent, act-agency, agent-purpose, agent-agency, and agency-purpose.agent-agency, and agency-purpose.