David S. Meyer
I'm a professor of sociology and political science at the University of California, Irvine. I've been thinking, and writing about, protest politics for almost ever. This site offers comments on contemporary events, informed (I hope) by knowing something about history and about the academic study of social movements.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Korematsu Day: The Politics of Vindication
Today Californians celebrate the first Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. Represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Korematsu challenged the constitutionality of relocating and interning Japanese Americans during World War II. Three Supreme Court Justices agreed … Continue reading
Tunisia, Egypt, and Revolutions
Like most everyone else, I’ve been transfixed by the historic revolutionary efforts that may be sweeping the Arab world. Most of the little I know about Tunisia and Egypt, I’ve learned in the past few days, but there are general … Continue reading
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Tagged China, coalition, Egypt, Hungary, protest, revolution, Romania, Tunisia, violence
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Roe v. Wade commemorations
Visitors to Washington, DC can choose either an anti-abortion or abortion rights demonstration this week. The March for Life started with a rally on the National Mall, then activists marched to the Supreme Court to protest Roe v. Wade, praying … Continue reading
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Tagged abortion, commemoration, countermovements, demonstration, Roe v. Wade
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Beck and Piven
Glenn Beck has spent a lot of air time over the past year attacking Frances Fox Piven, a distinguished professor of political science at the City University of New York. Beck’s spotlight has brought Piven to the attention of a … Continue reading
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Tagged Frances Fox Piven, Glenn Beck, poverty, Richard Cloward, violence, welfare
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House Repeals Health Care (Symbolically)
The new Republican majority in the House of Representatives voted to repeal President Obama’s health care reforms, which have just begun to come into effect. It was a big victory for the Republicans and the Tea Party, but it’s unlikely … Continue reading
Dead Heroes, Martin Luther King, and Original Intent
In the fall of 2001 I sat on a committee charged with planning the program for Martin Luther King Day here at UC Irvine. American armed forces were then just entering Afghanistan, seeking Osama Bin Laden, and fighting to oust … Continue reading
Martin Luther King Day and Dead Heroes
Martin Luther King died young enough and dramatically enough to be turned into an American hero, but it was neither his youth nor his death that made him heroic. In his rather brief public life, beginning in Montgomery at 26, … Continue reading
Where’s the Peace Movement?
On the fiftieth anniversary of President Eisenhower’s military-industrial complex speech (his farewell address), it’s worth asking just where the peace movement is these days. Eisenhower, a vigorous cold warrior and internationalist, sounded an alarm about making decisions about foreign and … Continue reading
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