Author Archives: David S. Meyer

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About David S. Meyer

Author and professor of Sociology and Political Science at the University of California, Irvine

Occupy on Wheels? The Freedom Convoy

Posted on February 13, 2022 by David S. Meyer

With far fewer people than the Occupy movement a decade ago, a group of Canadian truckers has been far more successful in disrupting politics and life as usual in a much shorter span. Starting with a moving blockade, the truckers … Continue reading →

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Happy Birthday Rosa Parks, 2022 (repost)

Posted on February 4, 2022 by David S. Meyer

(In thinking about this repost, I want to encourage readers to take a look at the link to To Tell the Truth, the tv game show. The celebrities questioning three older Black women didn’t know her–except for Nipsey Russell, a Black … Continue reading →

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Greensboro Sit-in Anniversary, February 1 (1960!)

Posted on February 1, 2022 by David S. Meyer

Today marks the anniversary of the start of the sit-in campaign in Greensboro, North Carolina. I’m always moved and encouraged by the audacity of those young men. (repost) The anniversary is also a great reminder of the important leadership roles … Continue reading →

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Martin Luther King Day, January 17, 2022

Posted on January 17, 2022 by David S. Meyer

Posterity has rescued an image of Martin Luther King, at the expense of the man’s own broader political vision. Continue reading →

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How punishment works

Posted on December 10, 2021 by David S. Meyer

Jenna Ryan, who joined the Capitol insurrection on January 6, is putting a an upbeat spin on serving 60 days in federal prison for trespass. She’s announced on TikTok that she plans to exercise, do a lot of yoga, eat … Continue reading →

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Rittenhouse and more: verdicts versus signals

Posted on November 22, 2021 by David S. Meyer

Courts decide cases, not causes. On the surface, the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha was only about a kid with an assault weapon who killed two men and maimed another. The jury, considering two weeks of testimony, videotapes, lawyers’ … Continue reading →

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Justice for J6 sputters

Posted on September 20, 2021 by David S. Meyer

The Justice for J6 demonstrators protest sputtered from the start, with turnout estimated at just a few hundred people, even after months of buildup. There were plenty of people there; Capitol police were abundant, National Guard were activated in reserve, … Continue reading →

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Occupy at 10 (3/3)

Posted on September 18, 2021 by David S. Meyer

Occupy educated and politicized a generation of activists who spilled out into scores of loosely allied movements and American life. They represent a massive resource for every progressive effort that’s followed. Here’s the short story: Occupy appeared to trace a … Continue reading →

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Occupy at 10 (2/x)

Posted on September 17, 2021 by David S. Meyer

Today is the tenth anniversary of Occupy’s first Occupation, and retrospective memoirs and evaluations are everywhere. The argument here is that Occupy mattered, even though the movement got little or less of what activists demanded in 2011. You can start … Continue reading →

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Occupy at 10 (1/x)

Posted on September 16, 2021 by David S. Meyer

It’s 10 years ago September 17 that Occupy Wall Street commenced, and the decennial is a good time to see how (or whether) it mattered. Kai Ryssdal interviewed me at Marketplace about just this issue, and politely asked me the … Continue reading →

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