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.
Tag Archives: Dream act
DREAMers inside and outside the Democratic convention
Benita Veliz, who apparently overstayed a tourist visa when she was eight years old, had a few minutes to address the Democratic convention from the podium. Veliz quickly acknowledges that she has been living in the United States without legal … Continue reading
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Tagged Benita Veliz, celebrities, Democratic Party, Dream act, FAIR, Freedom Rides, immigration, Rosario Dawson
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Contested Conservatism
As the Republicans take control of the House of Representatives and try to flex new muscle in the Senate–and in politics more generally–the conflicts within modern conservatism will become more visible. The label “conservative” has always included contradictory positions, and … Continue reading
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Tagged conservative, don't ask don't tell, Dream act, Edmund Burke, Rush Limbaugh
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Defeats and Victories
Movements don’t disappear after a legislative verdict. Victories and defeats change calculations about what’s possible and how to go about getting it, but they virtually never–at least in the United States–provide a decisive resolution to the sorts of issues that … Continue reading
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Tagged countermovements, defeat, don't ask don't tell, Dream act, immigration, legislation, victory
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When Allies Disappoint
This lame duck session in Congress seems like the last best hope for advocates of the DREAM Act, as well as the best shot for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell through Congress–and not the courts. Activists on both … Continue reading
Is the Tea Party Over? (part 2)
What was the Tea Party anyway? We remember the costumes, of course, and the upset victories in primary elections by some, uh, unusual candidates, but what was it about? Like all social movements in America, the Tea Party contains a … Continue reading
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Tagged don't ask don't tell, Dream act, health care, tea party
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A DREAM deferred
What do Lady Gaga, Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen have in common? They were unable to stop a minority in the Senate from filibustering a defense appropriations bill that would have led to the repeal of “Don’t ask, Don’t … Continue reading
