HOW MOVEMENTS CHANGE THE WORLD | Reasons to be Cheerful

In this episode

This year’s Black Lives Matter protests are thought to be the biggest in US history and across the world mass movements are on the rise. But how do these movements shift the national conversation? What works in driving political change? We chat to social movement experts Deva Woodly and Hahrie Han about language, organising and the strategies of success.

Plus Twitter sensation Michael Spicer on being the ‘man in the room next door’

Guests

Deva Woodly (@devarashida), associate professor of politics at The New School

Hahrie Han (@hahriehan), professor of political science at John Hopkins University

Michael Spicer (@MrMichaelSpicer), comedian and writer

More info

Impact of BLM

NYT: Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History (July 2020)
Deva Woodly: An American Reckoning (Aug 2020)
Deva Woodly: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements (2017)
538: What Protests Can (And Can’t) Do (June 2020)
Atlantic: Black Lives Matter Just Entered Its Next Phase (Sep 2020)

Social movements and success

Hahrie Han: When Does Activism Become Powerful? (Dec 2019)
Hahrie Han: Want Gun Control? Learn From the N.R.A. (Oct 2017)
Hahrie Han: To Support a Stronger Climate Movement, Build Collective Power (2018)
NYT: The Story of 2019: Protests in Every Corner of the Globe (Dec 2019)