Activism has been the main driver of social justice movements, which are collective forms of political action that often work outside of established, institutional structures. This course looks at historical and contemporary acts of resistance and the political organizing behind them, with a focus on activist strategies, social justice initiatives, and their underlying theoretical frameworks. Using sexuality and gender as our point of departure, we will investigate the difference between grassroots and mainstream activism, the role of allyship, and the importance of representation and participation in social justice movements.
Activism has been the main driver of social justice movements, which are collective forms of political action that often work outside of established, institutional structures. This course looks at historical and contemporary acts of resistance and the political organizing behind them, with a focus on activist strategies, social justice initiatives, and their underlying theoretical frameworks. Using sexuality and gender as our point of departure, we will investigate the difference between grassroots and mainstream activism, the role of allyship, and the importance of representation and participation in social justice movements.