CMMU 10 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Social Constructionism
Document Summary
Start with the abstract premise of all activism and critical social sciences. What is made by humans (racism, capitalism, dictatorship, sexism) can be unmade and remade or improved. Activist premise: if there is an unjust law, we don"t just obey blindly. Opinions differ on how to confront unjust laws. Social construction of race and gender determine life options . Dominant constructions are binary, male constructed as dominant gender. Civil disobedience premise: anyone may (or must) challenge immoral written laws- not just lawyers or elected officials/representatives. National anthem is an act of protest, not civil disobedience. It"s always been this way. but it doesn"t have to be like that. Reframing as organizing premise; by shifting the frame of perception and influencing people"s feelings, we can denaturalize dominant frames, shift the potential for action, and future outcomes. Everything activists and organizers do has reframing in it. (fliers, buttons, lawn signs, memos, interviews, posts, websites, meeting agendas, conferences)
