Activism is different from terrorism in all realms; while activism is a call to equality and equity, terrorism on the other hand is a violent and aggressive attack on a non-combatant group. In this piece, I will shed light on both concepts in order to enlighten every reader.
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, activism is defined as a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue. Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct, or intervene in social, political, economic, or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society. Forms of activism range from writing letters to newspapers, petitioning elected officials, running or contributing to a political campaign, preferential patronage (or boycott) of businesses, and demonstrative forms of activism like rallies, street march, strikes, sit-ins, or hunger strikes (Tarrow 1998).
Historically, activists have used literature, including pamphlets, tracts, and books to disseminate their messages and attempt to persuade their readers of the justice of their cause. Research has now begun to explore how contemporary activist groups use social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action combining politics with technology (Obar 2014). Activism is not always an activity performed by those who profess activism as a profession. The term activist may apply broadly to anyone who engages in activism or be more narrowly limited to those who choose political or social activism as a vocation or characteristic practice (Permanent Culture Now. 2011). Common methods used for activism include community building, lobbying, petition, media activism, peace activism, propaganda, protest, strike action among others.
When viewing or considering becoming involved in activism, it pays to be realistic about what you hope to achieve and what impact you may have. Sometimes, activism can lead to misconceptions about the change you can help foster so it pays to remain grounded about what individual potential you may have. The reality is that activism is not about how people look or the clothes they wear: the sine qua non of activism is doing. When looking at activism in action, look not at how groups define themselves but rather, what they do as this is often much more informative and decisive (PCN, 2018).
Furthermore, the PCN platform notes that even though it is helpful to take an ideological position regarding where you situate yourself within the political landscape (e.g. socialist, anarchist, communist, etc.), you should be careful when adhering to such conceptual frameworks for they may blind you to other ways of seeing the world around you. Indeed, engaging in sterile debates concerning doctrinal position and/or interpretation can hinder and in some cases prevent positive social action occurring (PCN, 2018). This is where activism is related to terrorism. Just like in terrorism where the thoughts, mentality and ways of thinking of the individual groups become myopic, if activism is anchored solely on your ideological belief without considering those of others, you might be led astray.
Activism may be performed on a day-to-day basis in a wide variety of ways, including through the creation of art (artivism), computer hacking (hacktivism), or simply in how one chooses to spend their money (economic activism). For example, the refusal to buy clothes or other merchandise from a company as a protest against the exploitation of workers by that company could be considered an expression of activism. However, the most highly visible and impactful activism often comes in the form of collective action, in which numerous individuals coordinate an act of protest together in order to make a bigger impact (Tarrow, 1998). Collective action that is purposeful, organized, and sustained over a period of time becomes known as a social movement (Goodwin & Jasper, 2009).It should be noted that terrorism can also take all the aforementioned mediums. For instance, in its early days, the ISIL took advantage of the internet to recruit members. However, where activism and terrorism differ is their modus operandi sand their intents. While activists crave for a more balanced society through all the means possible, terrorists inflict pains on their perceived opponents.
It is crucial to note that activism can take both violent and non-violent forms. Researcher Gene Sharp divides the methods of nonviolent action into three main types. First are methods of protest and persuasion, such as speeches, slogans, banners, picketing, protest disrobing, vigils, singing, marches, and teach-ins. To count as nonviolent action – and activism – these need to go beyond conventional behavior. Singing in a choir is not activism, but singing as a protest, for example in a prison or in a church, certainly can be (Martin, 2007).
The second type of nonviolent action is noncooperation, such as religious excommunication, disobeying social customs, protest emigration, rent strike, producers’ boycott, withdrawal of bank deposits, international trade embargo, and a wide variety of strikes. The third type is intervention, including sit-ins, nonviolent occupations, guerrilla theater, fasting, and setting up alternative economic and political institutions. All of these, and more, can be methods of activism – of the nonviolent variety.
Another option is violent action, such as beatings, imprisonment, torture, killing, and bombing. Conventional violent action is carried out by police and military forces. Violent activism would be carried out by those not authorized to do so, who might be called freedom fighters or terrorists. However, this is usually called armed struggle rather than activism (Martin, 2007). Hence, in a way, some form of activism can be considered as an act of terrorism. In fact, let me surprise you that all the terrorist groups that you see today began as activist groups.
In between nonviolent action and armed struggle is violence against physical objects, of which sabotage is one variety. This can include damaging a pipeline, destroying genetically engineered crops, or defacing a website. These are activism if done on behalf of a cause. Like other forms of activism, sabotage can be praised or condemned (Martin, 2007).
References
Goodwin, J & Jasper, J (2009). The Social Movements Reader: Cases and Concepts (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9781405187640
Martin, B (2007). Activism, Social and Political. Retrieved from http://www.bmartin.cc/pubs/07Anderson.html
PCN (2018).Introduction to Activism. Retrieved from https://www.permanentculturenow.com/what-is-activism/
Tarrow, S (1998). Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139076807. OCLC 727948411