Is the revolution really going global?

Is the revolution really going global?
- May 14, 2012
- Francesca Polletta, sociology professor, is quoted in In These Times May 11, 2012
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From In These Times:
What might such coordinated actions this month accomplish, then, beyond forging symbolic
links between movements? Certainly, protesters in different corners of the world have
expressed solidarity for each others' movements-a now well-known sign coming out of
Tahrir Square last February read, "Egypt Supports Wisconsin"-and in some cases actually
sent emissaries to help share skills and experiences. But is it too hasty to call
this a "global movement?" This was the subject of a recent discussion between four
leading social movement scholars on the Society Pages blog. Francessca Polletta, professor
of sociology at University of California, Irvine, noted that while "activists communicate
with each other; they learn from each other; they are emboldened by one another,"
they don't necessarily yet share common goals-and are still largely targeting national
actors. Of course, there's another reason to throw around a term like "global uprising:"
It's powerful rhetoric. As James Jasper of the City University of New York argued.
For the full story, please visit http://inthesetimes.com/uprising/entry/13201/is_the_revolution_really_go....
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