reading chapter 2 ( Women's Movement, Freeman)

Question 1

main argument?

Answer 1

In Jo Freeman’s piece on the Women’s Movement, she argues that examining movement origins is problematic because movement origins are often forgotten or inaccurately remembered (remembered wrongly)

Question 2

Freeman gives 3 propositions

Answer 2

Freeman gives 3 propositions
1. The need for pre existing communications network or infrastructure within the social base of the movement is a primary prerequisite for “spontaneous” activity.

2. Network must be co-optable to the new ideas of the initial or beginning of a movement.
   - In order to be co-optable, it must be made up of like minded people whose backgrounds, experiences or location in the social structure make them receptive to the ideas of a specific new movement.
3. With the existence of a co-optable communications network and a situation of strain, one or more causes of events are required.
   - 2 distinct patterns emerge:
4. The crisis galvanizes (shocks) the network into spontaneous action in a new direction
5. One or more persons begin organizing a new organization or disseminating a new idea.
   - if a co-optable communications network is already established, a crisis is all that is necessary to galvanize it.

**In these propositions, Freeman stresses that in order for a SM to be successful there must be a “spark” and a pre-existing social network that is co-optable.

There were two different branches of the women’s movement: the women’s right branch vs the women’s liberation branch

• women’s rights movements is older and seeking reforms, while the women’s liberation movement is newer and more radical
• the women’s rights movement is focused on legal and economic problems whereas the goals women’s liberation movement was less focused
• the women’s rights movement tended to form formal organizations whereas the women’s liberation movement tended to have much less structure.

The different style and organization of the 2 branches was largely derived from the different kinds of political education and experiences of each group of women.

Social networks: the web of social ties that connects individuals(and organizations) to others.

• An individual’s social network can include family, friends, neighbors etc.
• People usually get influenced through the ideas and attitudes of one’s social networks.
• Movements are built off pre-existing networks but also bring together previously unconnected networks and organizations.
• A person who brings together disparate networks to form a movement is known as a broker.

There were four essential elements contributing to the emergence of the women’s liberation movement in the mid-sixties:

1. The growth of a preexisting communications network which was
2. Co-optable to the ideas of the new movement
3. A series of crises that galvanized into action people involved in this network and
4. Subsequent organizing effort to weld the spontaneous groups together into a movement

Question 3

what is a broker?

Answer 3

A person who brings together disparate networks to form a movement

Question 4

what are social networks?

Answer 4

Social networks: the web of social ties that connects individuals(and organizations) to others.