Tag Archives: climate change

Dilemmas and Dynamics of Escalation (3)

Posted on May 1, 2022 by David S. Meyer

People who want strong action to combat climate change have many options beyond self-immolation–which isn’t a good choice at all. Within a broad movement that includes the full spectrum of advocacy and protest actions–from talking to neighbors to ecosabotage–with all … Continue reading →

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Dilemmas and Dynamics of Escalation (2)

Posted on April 30, 2022 by David S. Meyer

Wynn Bruce set himself on fire in front of the Supreme Court toward the end of Earth Day. He was evacuated by helicopter and died in a hospital the next day. Concerned with government inaction on climate change, and deeply … Continue reading →

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Citizen action against the Russian invasion

Posted on March 1, 2022 by David S. Meyer

Russia’s audacious invasion of Ukraine unleashed an unprecedented wave of citizen action against the war, taking very different forms in Ukraine, the West, and in Russia. None of it is likely to end the war soon, but if activists are … 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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Generational Divides, Student Activism, and the Youth Vote

Posted on April 21, 2020 by David S. Meyer

Moblizing Ideas, a blog that Notre Dame’s Center for the Study of Social Movements maintains, commissioned a series on youth activism–way before most of us were tuned into the way the #coronacrisis would take over our politics and lives. I’ve … Continue reading →

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Young people lead

Posted on February 26, 2020 by David S. Meyer

It felt good to see this new picture, posted on Twitter by both Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. Malala,  now  23,  has  been  a crusader  for  human rights, particularly educating  girls  in  Pakistan.  She’s paid a severe price for her … Continue reading →

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It’s not about Greta (about Greta!)

Posted on September 24, 2019 by David S. Meyer

Heroic Swedish teen Greta Thunberg delivered a blistering address at the UN’s Climate Action Summit. It’s worth watching all the way through. In less than five minutes, Greta projects a sense of urgency and righteous anger. She’s right, of course, … Continue reading →

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How to claim someone else’s platform….or not.

Posted on June 2, 2019 by David S. Meyer

#NotTodayManBun is my favorite hashtag of 2019, so far. Aidan Cook, of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), rushed the stage at Moveon’s Big Ideas Forum, grabbed the mic from California Senator Kamala Harris, and tried to talk about his bigger idea. … Continue reading →

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On the day of a global climate strike, youth and activism

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David S. Meyer

Below is a post I offered at The Conversation last week, where you will find some comments. Unlike almost everything else on this site, the entry below benefited from the good attentions of an editor, Emily Schwartz Greco. A gaggle … Continue reading →

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Sunrise Movement (almost) confronts McConnell

Posted on February 25, 2019 by David S. Meyer

As they promised, supporters of the Green New Deal massed outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office, waiting to talk to him about the urgent need to respond aggressively to climate change. Unlike Senator Dianne Feinstein, McConnell didn’t offer sympathy … Continue reading →

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