#OccupyWallStreet

Abstract

The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement, when viewed within proper historical context, can be considered part of an American tradition of higher education activism. The movement's pioneering use of social media, which was in part inspired by activists within the Arab Spring, allowed OWS to organize and disseminate information with efficiency. Social media also helped to build the connections that were made between OWS activists and those within higher education, while subsequently providing documentation of these same connections in online forums. This chapter's analysis of OWS tactics provides evidence that social media will be integral to the organization and promotion of future activist movements within higher education and beyond.