Technology and Social Movements

Abstract

The history of social movements developed in parallel to technological changes in societies. More specifically, technology intertwines with social movements at two different levels. At the symbolic level, social movements have an impact on discourses about technologies and their role in societies, often pushing innovative technological visions in the public discourse as well as producing a critical understanding of technologies. Nevertheless, some technological devices might impact how activists imagine the near future and their organization and mobilization potential. At the material level, social movements have an impact on technological supports and devices, in that activist technical knowledge and competencies lead to alternative and creative use of technology. At the same time, though, the materiality of technologies also impacts mobilizing structures, organizational patterns, and protest activities of social movements.