Many variables are considered when exploring different examples of protests. The variety of protests makes it difficult to decide what criteria are necessary for a protest to exist. It is crucial to understand these basic criteria, so that we can better understand and analyze individual examples of protests.
One essential criteria of a protest is that protesters, whether as individuals or groups, object to an existing institution, belief, or statement. Secondly, protesters must take some action against that which they object to. While it is not necessary for this action to be in the form of violence, or a public display, it is necessary for the protesters to make the decision to act out against that which they protest. For example, a protest could involve someone deciding not to purchase certain items, or telling their friends about the problems they see in certain institutions. Furthermore, protests are usually made by a group with little power against a group that is in power. Protesters, therefore, seek to affect things that they would otherwise have little influence over.
Other aspects of protests involve how many people are involved, whether they are violent or not, whether or not they involve a public display, and whether they are successful. These qualities can help to describe individual examples of protest. Understanding these qualities can help us form models for making protests we hope will be successful. For example, in most cases a protest will be more successful if it is larger or has more members, or if it makes a statement that is visible to the public. Another quality that can help a protest is the support of powerful members, such as government leaders or celebrities, who can both aid protests through their own abilities and add to the protests visibility. While these qualities can be extremely significant in a protest, there is no minimum size qualification or measurement of success that defines a protest. Therefore, even a single person with little real power can attempt to change or alter institutions through their own decisions and actions. While they may not always be successful, their actions are still a protest, and can still have significance for that person.
3 comments:
I agree with you when you said that the size of a protest does not matter. I also agree that the success of a protest does not matter as well. Furthermore, I believe that as long as a protest can gain attention from the public, it is successful, even if the results of the protest was not desired.
I agree with what you said about how having support from important political leaders and celebrities can help a protest. This comment made me think particularly about Al Gore and his protest for more awareness about global warming. I don't know if anyone watches the Academy Awards (yes, I am guilty) but last year Al Gore actually spoke at the awards, and since then, many more actors and actresses have tried to devote more of their time to the issue. Since these actors are spending their time to such issues, many of their fans are doing the same. Therefore, I agree that the more attention an issue gets(especially from famous people), the greater it's results can be.
An important point you make in your blog (in addition to those that Woan-tyng and Lucy discuss) has to do with power and protests. You write: "protests are usually made by a group with little power against a group that is in power. Protesters, therefore, seek to affect things that they would otherwise have little influence over." This is a key point in thinking about the kinds of values held by those in power. It seems to me that often a protest is successful when it manages to change the values of the group that is in power.
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