Lifetime activism, marginality, and psychology: Narratives of lifelong feminist activists committed to social change.

Abstract

In the present study we seek to examine how and why some individuals commit their lives to creating social change in their communities. We specifically explore the lives and experiences of lifetime feminist activists by assessing the role of various social psychological mechanisms in growing and sustaining commitment to social change in diverse social contexts. We utilize 3 social-psychological concepts: positive marginality, conscientización, and social identity theory in order to focus on the inherent intersecting mechanisms and influences that contribute to a lifetime of social activism. Using idiographic narrative analysis we employ an interpretive methodology to analyze the oral histories of 3 women: Grace Lee Boggs of the United States, Matidle Lindo of Nicaragua, and D. Sharifa of India. Our findings suggest that although the women's lives and experiences vary considerably, concepts from within social psychology can aid in our understanding of how and why individuals become increasingly committed to creating change. We discuss how these findings may contribute to theory development on understanding the experiences and efforts of individuals who contribute to social change.

Assessing the Relationship between Neoliberal Ideology and Reactions to Central American Asylum Seekers in the United States

“…A host of research on the psychology of activism suggests that individuals are more likely to engage in activism when they feel a sense of identity with a specific cause or group, when they can view such actions as an expression of ideological beliefs, and when they feel efficacious or instrumental in their ability to contribute to change (Duncan & Stewart, ; Dutt & Grabe, ; Klandermans, ; van Zomeren, Postmes, & Spears, ). Furthermore, by truncating people's sense of connection to each other through the promotion of individualistic ideology and normalizing inaction when harm is experienced by people outside of one's intimate circle, neoliberal contexts may promote a culture in which human rights are particularly vulnerable.…”

“I Became a Lioness”

“…Similar victories in securing women's rights to educational and employment opportunities as well as to divorce and abortion have occurred across the globe. Despite these victories, there is still much that remains to be done for women to fully achieve equality with men, and many women continue to devote their lives to activism in support of this cause (Dutt & Grabe, 2014). Inequalities other than those based solely on gender-that result from prejudices based on race, social class, caste, and ethnicity, for exampleare also pertinent in every setting and are often understood in terms of the intersections of power relations along two or more dimensions (e.g., Cole, 2009;Crenshaw, 1989).…”

The narrative psychology of community health workers

“…We should note our own values which include a commitment to social justice and working through both research and practice to create a better world especially for those who are most disadvantaged. It was this that encouraged us both to research this topic and to better understand the processes of social change and how they can be better promoted (see Dutt and Grabe, 2014).…”

“…It was this that encouraged us both to research this topic but also to better understand the processes of social change and how they can be better promoted (see Dutt & Grabe, 2014). …”