Learning Lessons from the History of Social Change

History provides a blueprint to which you can refer as you design approaches to improving the future. Architects understand the importance of a blueprint to realizing a future vision.

A blueprint, or plan, that is informed by both the successes and failures of the past can strengthen your vision for social change. What mistakes can you learn from and avoid as they relate to past social change movements?

It is important to identify the factors that have made other movements successful in order to organize your own social change efforts. To that end, in this Discussion you identify and provide a rationale for factors that contribute to the success of social change movements.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the assigned readings from the Loeb course text.

Review the Gladwell, Goldberg, and Ling articles in this week's resources for insights into lessons learned from social movements of the past.

Think about historical social movements that have had a direct impact on your own life. Reflect on the laws or social norms that have been challenged, upheld, or changed, allowing for an improved quality of life for specific populations.

Consider your perspective on the elements of historical social movements that have particular relevance today.

Bear in mind the strategies used by historical social movements and how they have built momentum to today's movements.

Post a 400-word explanation of factors that contribute to the success of social movements.

In what ways can you pattern socially responsible action today after successful movements of the past?

What circumstances have changed over time that might necessitate differences in approach?