Politics of Change or Technology and Social Movements - Essay Example

How Social Movement Distorts the Occupy Movement Social Movement There are four concepts that contribute to social movements. Emergence, coalescence, Bureaucratization, and decline are discussed by Christiansen (2009) and explained in a cohesive correlation to each section of the movement. Emergence is the change in the individual’s thought process that determines the need for change. Coalescence is connecting with like-minded individuals who share support for necessary change and are willing to provide the necessary actions to promote that change.

Bureaucratization is the means by which influential people join the cause and offer support for forward movement. Decline is the action taken by the supporters and the outcome of the protest (Christiansen, 2009). The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement, which was started in Manhattan’s financial district (Dvorak, 2011), was directed at the banks and multinational organizations that may be responsible for the economic collapse of America. The non-violent protestors are promoting a peaceful fight against the wealthy individuals who are writing unfair rules and foreclosing on Americans’ future ability for successful accomplishments.

The 1% of the population that represents America’s wealthy citizens continually discriminate against the 99% of America’s working population by implementing laws, practices, and regulations that apply only to the working class.Article/Book Chapter Citation The protest group called OWS was forcibly removed from Manhattan’s financial district by armed policemen when peaceful demonstrators refused to cease and desist a scheduled protest. The local media was absent from the event and coverage of the incident was broadcast by local citizens in the area who were eye-witnesses to the event (Dvorak, 2011).

Streaming video of live action was recorded by the use of personal i-phones until local government officials disrupted the signals from the cell towers in the area. Some individuals professed that the cell tower disruption was a form of crowd control and communication interference (Dvorak, 2011).Core Argument or ThesisSocial networks have the ability to promote communication about an event, but can also be used by troublemakers to falsify information and manipulate support for a protest. Concerned citizens willing to post live video on their i-phones offered interested viewers a first-hand look at the actions being taken by armed policemen against citizens demonstrating in a peaceful protest (Dvorak, 2011).

The inaccurate information provided by professional troublemakers offers insight into the power these individuals possess when manipulating the Internet.Literature ReviewSocial movements will continue to occur as more people make the conscious decision to take a stand against injustices and unfair practices towards a repressed group. Every ethnicity, culture, and population has had reason to protest throughout history (Christiansen, 2009). The OWS movement is not solely focused on one event, one location, or one injustice, but any event that warrants a protest by individuals who feel they are being taken advantage of by employers, government officials, and other entities that seek to oppress other people.

The concern voiced in Dvorak (2006) in the OWS social movement is that false information provided over the Internet can potentially manipulate citizens and harm the support of a protest because proper communication was altered. The question of possible outcomes from this type of false information leads one to believe that more harm than good could potentially come from this type of action being spread across the globe (Dvorak, 2006). It was also determined that these troublemakers have too much power over a situation with their ability to manipulate the truth being disseminated across the social networks.

Research Design. The use of a qualitative phenomenological research design method provides personal experience of the event through video streaming on i-phones located in the vicinity. Locke, Silverman, and Spirduso (2004) discussed the effects of knowing which method of research is used in a study and how that information is not enough to determine the outcome once the analysis of all data that has been collected is completed. Media reporting did not provided the narrative of the event, but citizens witnessing the event filmed the occurrence and gave vocal commentary of the progression of the situation (Locke et al., 2004). The use of cell phones, until connection was interrupted, and social networks were the main providers of the information (Dvorak, 2011).

DataThe data collected from this event started out being eyewitness accounts of the protest. When the police marched in and forcibly removed the individuals involved in the protest, and government officials realized that actual video streaming was being captured and sent to interested parties, the cell tower connections were disrupted. While this stopped the live recording of the event, it did little to stop the information being sent on social networks through the Internet. Even false accounts of the event were being repeated on these social networks.

ConclusionWhile the outcome of this protest promoted by the OWS ended in the arrest of some demonstrators and some injuries to participants, the potential outcome could have been worse. If the falsified information on the social networks had been taken as truthful accounts of the event and motivated others to arm themselves with weapons and continue the violence that was instigated in the social networks. One might ask the question, “What would have happened if the information that live ammunition was being used on demonstrators had been repeated over the social network communication (Dvorak, 2006).

ReferencesChristiansen, Johathan. “Four Stages of Social Movements: Social Movements & Collective Behavior.” EBSCO Research Starters, (2009) 1-7. Retrieved May 24, 2012 from http://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/imported/thisTopic-dbTopic-1248.pdf Dvorak, John. “How Social Media Distorts the Occupy Movement.” PC Magazine. November 2011. Retrieved from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2396450,00.aspLocke, Lawrence F., Silverman, Stephen J., & Spirduso, Waneen Wyrick. Reading and Understanding Research. (2nd ed.).

(Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2004) 123-225Occupy Wall Street is a people-powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. #ows is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations.

The movement is inspired by popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, and aims to fight back against the richest 1% of people that are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is foreclosing on our future. Retrieved from http://occupywallst.org/about/