Guidance Resource for Direction and Action Planning
In the world of social movements, understanding the ebb and flow of a campaign is crucial for success. Enter the Movement Compass, a valuable tool that helps organizers navigate the natural changes a winning movement often experiences.
The Movement Compass is based on the Movement Action Plan, pioneered by media personality Bill Moyers. It offers insights into the pulse of movements, guiding organizers towards specific tactics and strategies that could yield results at different stages.
The journey of a social movement typically begins in the Enduring Crisis phase. Characterised by growing public anger and limited movement infrastructure to confront the crisis, this phase is a challenging yet essential starting point. It's during this phase that the seeds of change are sown.
As the movement gains momentum, it enters the Uprising phase. Triggered by a significant event, this phase is marked by a renewed sense of purpose and heroism, even if the strategic grounding for the long run may not be firmly established yet.
The Peak phase follows, where the cause has gone viral, and it feels like the power to influence change is within reach. This is a critical time to stay connected, onboard new recruits, re-fuel as needed, and gather more resources for what comes next.
However, the road to change is not always a smooth one. The Contraction phase, characterised by momentum stalling, backlash and repression increasing, and internal divisions becoming more pronounced, is an opportunity to analyse your progress and consolidate any wins. The Movement Compass helps organizers avoid seeing each contraction as a personal or collective defeat, instead riding out the waves strategically.
The Evolution phase is a time for learning and reflection. It helps organizers understand the phase as an expected turn and an opportunity to consolidate any wins.
Finally, the movement enters the New Normal phase, where the changes brought about by the movement become the norm, and the focus shifts towards maintaining and advancing these gains.
The Movement Compass, a framework that helps organizers of people-powered movements identify their next steps, was initially developed based on the work of Ernst Georg Ravenstein, a person who attempted to understand the cyclic development of population movements.
In conclusion, the Movement Compass provides a comprehensive guide for social movement organisers, offering insights into the natural phases a movement goes through and suggesting strategies for navigating each phase effectively. By understanding and applying the principles outlined in the Movement Compass, organisers can increase their chances of success in their quest for social change.
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