Blog Post #2 - Ch 1

1. Stewart, Smith, and Denton discuss the means by which a social movement is characterized in chapter one of “Persuasion and Social Movements”. For a social movement to originate, there has to be a specific organization to start. One person who is passionate about a cause or issue will form some type of organization and pursue specific goals, though one person never actually forms a social movement completely by himself but rather through a cohesive group of people. Social movements are arranged ‘top-down approach’, meaning that the goal is what forms the social movement and from there they will continue to constitute and gain insight on their goals. Once a social movement begins and the goals are established, the leaders will form known end points, where they know they must have accepted marks to check off. Also, they will establish particular approaches to accomplish their goals. Social movement leaders recognize that their goals will not be achieved over night; it is a long process to achieve one’s ambitions. Social movements have many characteristics that promote a goal and ambition into a movement that people dearly wish to see change.

2 2. My chosen social movement for this course is animal rights, specifically focused on two SMO’s: PETA’s rhetorical advertising and HFA’s cause for humane farming. As the book states, there are organizations within social movements that strive for specific goals. PETA had a founder named Ingrid Newkirk that established the non-profit organization’s goals and sailed them into the right direction she envisioned. PETA wants to give animals the humane rights they desire but in provocative ways. PETA accurately matches the criteria listed in the book for a “typical” social movement. PETA has specific goals that they wish to accomplish, they want the public to recognize how inhumane animals are treated and that we do not have the right to not grant them their basics desires for life. PETA was cited several times throughout chapter 1, therefore, I would say with confidence that PETA is a SMO within the animal rights movement.