Social movement facts for kids

Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, one of the most famous social movements of the 20th century.

A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a social or political one. This may be to carry out, resist or undo a social change. It is a type of group action and may involve individuals, organizations or both. Definitions of the term are slightly varied. Social movements have been described as "organizational structures and strategies that may empower oppressed populations to mount effective challenges and resist the more powerful and advantaged elites". They represent a method of social change from the bottom within nations.

Modern movements often use technology and the internet to mobilize people globally. Adapting to communication trends is a common theme among successful movements. Research is beginning to explore how advocacy organizations linked to social movements in the U.S. and Canada use social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action.

Images for kids

• 

  stages of a social movement

• 

  Satirical engraving of Wilkes by William Hogarth. Wilkes is holding two editions of The North Briton.

• 

  The Gordon Riots, depicted in a painting by John Seymour Lucas

• 

  The Great Chartist Meeting on Kennington Common, London in 1848

See also

In Spanish: Movimiento social para niños