Global Activism

The upside‐down roots of a transnational advocacy network: applying an ‘organizational ecology’ approach to the anti‐GMO network

“…Going beyond Heins, I would argue that the transnationalization of advocacy means that these frames become even more schematic because they must be transported across global spaces, leading to a bifurcation at the domestic level between 'rigid' global frames adhered to by professional advocates and more flexible, politically fluid conceptualizations coming from mass member organizations. Unlike more optimistic social movement theorists (for example Reitan 2007;and Smith 2008) I would argue that this bifurcation may preclude the formation of 'democratically' forged global movement frames, especially in cases where the social field over which a TAN operates is simply too differentiated and involves too wide a gap in financial and educational capital.…”

Constructing Mutuality: The Zapatistas' Transformation of Transnational Activist Power Dynamics

“…Their partners include nongovernmental organizations, think tanks, filmmakers, tourists, scholars, students, feminists, neighborhood movements, farmers, and indigenous organizations (Leyva Solano 2001). Some of these groups materially or politically support the movement; others share experiences and coordinate common campaigns; still others take strategic or ideological inspiration from the Zapatistas (Reitan 2007;Swords 2007).…”

“…While the Zapatistas' prominence may put them in a better position than lesser-known Southern groups, their refusal of some Northern funds may still jeopardize their survival, marking the limits of Southern autonomy. 5 Extreme cases like the Zapatistas, along with a handful of similar examples in which Southern groups have defied the power of Northern donations, such as the farmers' network Via Campesina, the Peoples' Global Alliance, and the Rural Women Workers' Movement (MMTR) in Brazil (e.g., Thayer 2001;Wood 2004;Reitan 2007), help illustrate the limits and possibilities for Southern movements to influence Northern allies.…”

“…This study seeks to bring together transnational social movement scholars' recent insights on the growth of horizontal activist networks, the perils of Northern participants' power over Southern groups, and the dynamic nature of movements. Lately, many writers have noted a qualitative change in left-wing alliances-Zapatismo in particular-toward what they call mutual, reciprocal, or horizontal solidarity (Waterman 1999;Eterovic and Smith 2001;Reitan 2007). Leyva Solano contends that Zapatista sympathizers' various forms of relating to the movement have broadened the meaning of solidarity.…”

“…Hinting at a natural convergence among leftists worldwide, writers such as Evans (2008) suggest that by joining forces, progressive activists North and South minimize their vulnerability in a common struggle against an entrenched, dominant order. Shared identities, others argue, are increasingly foundational to and potent for organizing transnational activism (Waterman 1999;Reitan 2007).…”