Becoming a movement

Becoming a Movement

Identity, Narrative and Memory in the European Global Justice Movement

By Priska Daphi

Becoming a movement

Priska Daphi is Head of the research group Conflict & Social Movements at Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) and Research Fellow at Goethe University Frankfurt.

Description

Social movement scholars have become increasingly interested in the role of stories in contentious politics. Stories may facilitate the mobilization of activists and strengthen the resonance of their claims within public discourse and institutional politics. This book explores the role of narratives in building collective identity – a vital element in activists’ continued commitment. While often claimed important, the connection between narratives and movement identity remains understudied. Drawing on a rich pool of original data, the book’s analysis focusses on the Global Justice Movement (GJM), a movement known for its diversity of political perspectives. Based on a comparison of different national constellations of the GJM in Europe, the book demonstrates the centrality of activists’ narratives in forming and maintaining movement identity and in making the GJM more enduring.

Table of contents

List of Abbreviations/ List of Figures and Tables/ Introduction: Narrating the Global Justice Movement in Europe/ 1. Movement Identity, Narrative and Memory/ 2. Differences in Narrating the GJM/ 3. The Shared GJM Narrative/ 4. The GJM Narrative and Movement Identity/ Conclusion: Narrative Identity and Movement Continuity/ Acknowledgments/ Appendix A: Interviews and Focus Groups with GJM Activists/ Appendix B: Selection of GJM Documents/ Bibliography/ Cited GJM Documents