Gourt > Society > Issues > Economic > International > Trade > Activism
Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. This action is in support of, or opposition to, one side of an often controversial argument.
The terms activism and activist used in a political manner first appeared in the Belgian press in 1916 in connection with the Flamingant movement.1 The word "activism" is often used synonymously with protest or dissent, but activism can stem from any number of political orientations and take a wide range of forms, from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism (such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing preferred businesses), rallies and street marches, strikes, or even guerrilla tactics. In the more confrontational cases, an activist may be called a freedom fighter by some, and a terrorist by others, depending on whether the commentator supports the activist's ends.
In some cases, activism has nothing to do with protest or confrontation: for instance, some religious and feminist activists try to persuade people to change their behavior directly, rather than persuade governments to change laws; the cooperative movement seeks to build new institutions which conform to its principles, and generally does not lobby or protest politically.
More on [ Activism ]
Activism :: Society
Globalization
Bernard Avishai on the weekly Sheikh Jarrah eviction protests in West Jerusalem, Is activism working? http://bit.ly/6knAq5
lisang (Lisa Goldman) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:33:56 -0000
Bernard Avishai on the weekly Sheikh Jarrah eviction protests in West Jerusalem, Is activism working? http://bit.ly/6knAq5
RT @afromusing: SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
yvonnejohnston (Yvonne Johnston) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:32:33 -0000
RT @afromusing: SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
RT @creditsms: RT @FrontlineSMS "SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa" -- FrontlineSMS case studies now available. http://is.gd/5MLZO
auerswald (Philip Auerswald) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:31:34 -0000
RT @creditsms: RT @FrontlineSMS "SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa" -- FrontlineSMS case studies now available. http://is.gd/5MLZO
Some great authors here RT @afromusing: SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
mbelinsky (Mark Belinsky) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:31:31 -0000
Some great authors here RT @afromusing: SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
looks *awesome* RT @afromusing: SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
dansinker (dansinker) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:30:24 -0000
looks *awesome* RT @afromusing: SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
afromusing (Juliana R) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:28:29 -0000
SMS Uprising: Mobile Activism in Africa - book is now available http://bit.ly/4CZLTx
Attac International - An international organization working to introduce Tobin-type tax and opposing free trade, globalization and neoliberalism.
Citizens Trade Campaign - A coalition of labor, environmental, religious, family farm, and consumer organizations united in the pursuit of socially and environmentally just trade policy.
Meta Description: [ A coalition of labor, environmental, religious, family farm, and consumer organizations united in the pursuit of socially and environmentally just trade policy. ]
Consumers for World Trade - A lobbying organization promoting free-trade laws and international agreements.
Counter-Attac - An organization defending free trade.
CounterProtest - A campaign to promote free trade and free markets.
EFTA- Promoting Fair Trade in Europe - The European Fair Trade Association follows events and policy in the EU concerning its subject. Annotated news links.
Meta Description: [ The European Fair Trade Association (EFTA) is a network of 11 Fair Trade organisations in 9 European countries which import Fair Trade products from over 400 economically disadvantaged producer groups in Africa, Asia and Latin America. EFTA's members are based in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany... ]
Ethical Trading Initiative - Introduces international effort designed to promote ethical trade.
Fair Trade Toronto - A working group established by Oxfam's volunteers that advocates for small, poor and disadvantaged producers in developing countries through fair prices and working conditions.
Global Action - Activist organization opposed to corporate globalization.
Global Progress - Coalition of political organizations meeting to have global trade meet human needs first.
Global Trade Watch - Section of Public Citizen, a public-interest group founded by Ralph Nader, GTW promotes democracy by challenging corporate globalization, arguing that the current globalization model is neither a random inevitability nor free trade.
International Federation for Alternative Trade - IFAT is a federation of producers and alternative trading organizations (ATOs), that encourage models of international trade that are direct and fair to all parties.
Meta Description: [ IFAT - the international Fair Trade Association. ]
International Forum on Globalization - Alliance formed to stimulate new thinking, joint activity, and public education in response to economic globalization. Members view globalization as an extreme restructuring of social, economic and political system with profound effects on humans and the environment.
Make Trade Fair - Includes action items, facts and debates about issues such as coffee, reports, impacts on real lives, and events around the world.
Meta Description: [ Join Oxfam International's Make Trade Fair campaign. Trade can be a powerful force for reducing poverty but the rigged rules and double standards that currently govern world trade are threatening the livelihoods of millions around the world. ]
Other Davos - A conference meeting in resistance to the meetings of the World Economic Forum which push for the globalization of capitalism.
Our World is Not For Sale - A loose grouping of organizations, activists and social movements worldwide fighting against the current model of corporate globalization embodied in global trading systems. Site includes articles relating to agriculture, Hong Kong, Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, non-agriculture market access, wars and terrorism.
Meta Description: [ The Our World Is Not For Sale network is a loose grouping of organizations, activists and social movements worldwide fighting against the current model of corporate globalization embodied in global trading systems. OWINFS is committed to a sustainable, socially just, democratic and accountable mu... ]
The Council of Canadians: Trade and Investment - Papers, articles, and pamphlets on free trade, and the institutions that support it.
Meta Description: [ Founded in 1985 by a handful of citizens including Maude Barlow, Farley Mowat and Margaret Atwood, the Council of Canadians is Canada's largest citizens' organization, with members and chapters across the country. ]
Trade Justice Movement - A group of organizations that are concerned with the impact of international trade rules on the poorest people in the world, the environment, and democracy.
Meta Description: [ The Trade Justice Movement is a fast growing coalition of organisations campaigning for fundamental change to the unjust rules and institutions governing international trade, so that trade is made to work for all. ]
500
TradePeace - Campaign of Swedish conservative and libertarian student clubs who believe that free trade is one of the most fundamental principles of a free society, and that free trade increases both liberty and economic prosperity in a society.
World Development Movement - The World Development Movement (WDM) tackles the root causes of world poverty. It campaigns for fairer world trade, regulating multinationals and cancelling Third World debt.
Meta Description: [ The World Development Movement (WDM) tackles the root causes of world poverty. We campaign for fairer world trade, regulating multinationals and cancelling Third World debt. ]
World Social Forum - An open platform for discussing strategies of resistance to neo-liberal globalisation, and alternative paths to sustainable development and social and economic justice. Includes meeting and event information, news and articles.
| Does Activism Matter? | |
| Next Video | |
