Social Justice Activism

activist groups use social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action
combining politics with technology.
Definitions of Activism
The Online Etymology Dictionary records the English words "activism" and "activist" as
in use in the political sense from the year 1920 or 1915 respectively. The history of the
word activism traces back to earlier understandings of collective behavior and social
action. As late as 1969 activism was defined as "the policy or practice of doing things
with decision and energy", without regard to a political signification, whereas social
action was defined as "organized action taken by a group to improve social conditions",
without regard to normative status. Following the surge of so-called "new social
movements" in the United States in the 1960s, a new understanding of activism
emerged as a rational and acceptable democratic option of protest or appeal. However,
the history of the existence of revolt through organized or unified protest in recorded
history dates back to the slave revolts of the 1st century BC(E) in the Roman Empire,
where under the leadership of former gladiator Spartacus 6,000 slaves rebelled and
were crucified from Capua to Rome in what became known as the Third Servile War.
In English history, the Peasants' Revolt erupted in response to the imposition of a poll
tax, and has been paralleled by other rebellions and revolutions in Hungary, Russia,
and more recently, for example, Hong Kong. In 1930 under the leadership of Mahatma
Gandhi thousands of protesting Indians participated in the Salt March, as a protest
against the oppressive taxes of their government, resulting in the imprisonment of
60,000 people and eventually independence of their nation. In nations throughout Asia,
Africa and South America, the prominence of activism organized by social
movements and especially under the leadership of civil activists or social
revolutionaries has pushed for increasing national self-reliance or, in some parts of the
developing world, collectivist communist or socialist organization and affiliation. Activism
has had major impacts on Western societies as well, particularly over the past century
through social movements such as the Labor movement, the Women's Rights
movement, and the civil rights movement.
Types of Activism
Activists can function in a number of roles, including judicial, environmental, internet
(technological) and design (art). Historically, most activism has focused on creating
substantive changes in the policy or practice of a government or industry. Some
activists try to persuade people to change their behavior directly (see also direct action),
rather than to persuade governments to change laws. For example, the cooperative
movement seeks to build new institutions which conform to cooperative principles, and
generally does not lobby or protest politically. Other activists try to persuade people or
government policy to remain the same, in an effort to counter change.
Activism is not an activity always performed by those who profess activism as a
profession. The term ″activist″ may apply broadly to anyone who engages in activism, or
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