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: March 2011
Beck and Piven IV: Is Anyone Marginal Anymore?
We’ve got separate updates to report on Glenn Beck, pundit, and Frances Fox Piven, professor, that throw some light on the nature of American politics and culture. Of course, we’ve covered some of the background on their disturbing and antagonistic … Continue reading
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Cesar Chavez Day
On my campus, we commemorated Cesar Chavez Day early, yesterday, rather than March 31 (his birthday), by closing. The state established the holiday in 2000, and six other states have followed suit. In California, the legislature calls upon public schools … Continue reading
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Tagged Cesar Chavez, commemoration, holidays, Korematsu, labor, Martin Luther King, nonviolence, United Farm Workers
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Tipping Points and a “No Fly Zone” in Libya
The Arab Spring has played out differently in each country in which it appeared, largely a function of just who is willing to defect from supporting the regime and throw in with the dissidents. In Egypt, the military was willing … Continue reading
Where’s the Peace Movement: The Problem of Urgency, Exhibit B
Antiwar activists have had a hard time agreeing on goals and strategies and commanding public attention. This is striking, particularly when President Obama has just engaged American military forces in action in Libya, while the wars continue in Iraq and … Continue reading
GLBT Fundraising Falters: The Problem of Urgency, Exhibit A
It was a good year for the gay and lesbian movement. The last few years have included policy victories: the end of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in the military, a few favorable court decisions, and the institution of same sex … Continue reading
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Tagged don't ask don't tell, fund raising, gay and lesbian movement
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Global Antinuclear Revival
No nuclear plant outside Japan is less safe today than it was before the horrific earthquake/tsunami combination that unleashed an unfolding nuclear nightmare in Japan. But the accidents in Japan underscore the risks of planning only for crises that might … Continue reading
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Tagged antinuclear movement, Germany, global, Japan, nuclear power, protest
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Out of the (Sesame) Street and into the Capitol
The Sesame Street cast and crew appeared in Washington DC yesterday, to lobby against cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The House has already voted to zero out the appropriation, which totals about $420 million dollars. Although that’s a … Continue reading
Nuclear Power and Protest
The continuing disaster in Japan hasn’t closed the nuclear debate in the United States, even as many national political figures, including President Barack Obama, have been trying to invigorate the nuclear power industry. This is a social movement story. In … Continue reading
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On Wisconsin: After Defeat, Activists Pick New Arenas
When a door closes, start trying the windows. A defeat in Wisconsin has spurred a new wave of activism, and advocates have turned their attention beyond the state senate. In the United States, when activists lose a battle in one … Continue reading
Investigating Religions: Congress, Muslims, and Terror
I’m deeply troubled by the hearings in the House of Representatives that opened today, “The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community’s Response.” Initiated by Representative Peter King, a Republican from Long Island, it’s hard to … Continue reading
