Public Relations Theory

11Activism

Erica Ciszek

Where there is power, there is resistance.

Michel Foucault

“Build bridges, not walls.” “Love trumps hate.” “Smash the patriarchy.” On January 21, 2017, more than a million people around the world marched in the streets in opposition to the inauguration of Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States. Public transit was packed, the streets were flooded, and social media ignited with images and videos from the global Women’s March. Less than a week later, thousands of opponents of abortion from across the country gathered in Washington, DC, as part of the March for Life, joined by US Vice President Mike Pence.

“Hands up. Don’t shoot.” “White silence is violence.” “Is my son next?” Black Lives Matter (BLM), a demonstration against violence and systemic racism toward African Americans, began as a social media movement in 2013. In the wake of deaths of numerous African Americans by police actions, activists took to social media as well as direct action to spark policy change. The phrases “all lives matter” and “blue lives matter” emerged as oppositional rhetoric to BLM, spurring countermovements.

#NoDAPL. More than 1 million people “checked in” on Facebook to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in November 2016 to confuse law enforcement, who were believed to use geotracking services to monitor communications there. This geolocation tactic is among various moves employed by the Dakota Access Pipeline protestors, a grassroots movement that ...