It is usually difficult for groups to work together across racial-ethnic divides. Research across a wide variety of movements reveals common tensions. I list below some of the common patterns and provide a partial list of references at the end. The first two patterns apply to all groups, whether their relationship
Read moreWhy A Wall Won’t Work
This humorous video made in 2015 provides a sociological explanation for why a wall does not block unauthorized immigration and why tightened border controls beginning with President Reagan paradoxically actually increased the number of undocumented immigrants. It does not address the question of whether immigration is good or bad and
Read moreThoughts about Black Lives Matter in 2017
What a difference a few months makes. The Black Lives Matter movement was getting a lot of media coverage and popular support between 2014 and mid-2016. Multiple sessions at the American Sociological Association meeting were devoted to it. The Vision for Black Lives, prepared by a coalition named the Movement
Read moreEthnic Dimensions in Social Movements
Majority and minority protest movements have some structural differences and coalitions between majorities and minorities are fraught with difficulties. I’ve posted what I hope is close to the final version of my “Ethnic Dimensions in Social Movements” paper on SocArXiv while it awaits review for publication. It began life as
Read moreAsking the Wrong Questions About Protest
A protest field is like a ball game . . . [with] 12 teams, each trying to win with a somewhat different vision of what winning would mean, employing a wide variety of different kinds of tactics, forming temporary coalitions with other teams, trying to out-guess and out-think those opposed to their interests, and having somewhat different ideas of what the legitimate rules of the game are.
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