How Social Movements (Sometimes) Matter. David S. Meyer

this context, the efficacy of social movements involves maximizing the impact of the waves that they are on, but movements have limited impact on creating those waves.

      To make sense of the influence of movements, that is, how movements matter, we need to develop a good understanding of the factors that give rise to them, that is, the conditions that allow movements to emerge in the first place. In this regard, the influence of social movements is a function of the ability of organizers and activists to get the most out of the waves they ride.

Here’s the surfing analogy: Surfing is an extremely difficult sport. A surfer needs to paddle out through current, ducking under or paddling over waves, and then position herself in the ocean ready to catch waves when they come by. As the waves appear in sets, the skillful surfer starts paddling purposefully when a promising wave appears, but there are generally missteps, and there are moments of competition and courtesy with other surfers seeking to ride the same wave. Often, a surfer is wiped out immediately, or unable to catch the wave. The most skillful, however, time their paddling carefully, stand at the right time, and can not only navigate survival upright, but also pose moves up and down the face of the wave. A great surfer can maximize the length of his ride, and pull off when what the wave offers is no longer interesting, paddling out once more to be in position for the next opportunity.

      What’s not quite right about this metaphor is that social movements, unlike surfers, can help kick up the waves as well as ride them.

Notes

      1  1 https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/museum (accessed February 6, 2018).

      2  2 www.holocaustresearchproject.org/revolt/whiterose.html (accessed November 13, 2020).