Discussion: Learning Lessons From the History of Social Change

History provides a blueprint to which you can refer as you design approaches to improving the future. Architects understand the importance of a blueprint to realizing a future vision. A blueprint, or plan, that is informed by both the successes and failures of the past can strengthen your vision for social change. What mistakes can you learn from and avoid as they relate to past social change movements? It is important to identify the factors that have made other movements successful in order to organize your own social change efforts. To that end, in this Discussion you identify and provide a rationale for factors that contribute to the success of social change movements.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the assigned readings from the Loeb course text.
• Review the Gladwell, Goldberg, and Ling articles in this week’s resources for insights into lessons learned from social movements of the past.
• Think about historical social movements that have had a direct impact on your own life. Reflect on the laws or social norms that have been challenged, upheld, or changed, allowing for an improved quality of life for specific populations.
• Consider your perspective on the elements of historical social movements that have particular relevance today.
• Bear in mind the strategies used by historical social movements and how they have built momentum to today’s movements.
• Read the Discussion Spark topic, question, or comment posted by your Instructor in the Discussion thread.

Post a response to the Discussion Spark post. Your response should contain at least two significant paragraphs. Read the Discussion Rubric, as it will inform your writing. Important Note: The Discussion Spark and the weekly Discussion topic below will be graded together. You will see one score in your My Grades area.

Post an explanation of factors that contribute to the success of social movements. In what ways can you pattern socially responsible action today after successful movements of the past? What circumstances have changed over time that might necessitate differences in approach?

DiscussionSpark

Social responsibility has become an important part of many business
organizations. Aside from creating good publicity, what other reasons would
companies and corporations have for becoming involved in socially
responsible causes? What benefits would involvement with a socially
responsible cause offer the company and its employees? If you have had
personal experience with companies or local businesses involved with socially
responsible causes (i.e., you worked for the company or had interactions with
the company), please include a description in your post.