How can social movements transform societies? Developing a guide for practice

The articles in this special issue provide comparative case studies of social movements from a range of different nations, with different levels of peace and conflict, operating at different levels of the human ecology. This commentary focuses on the practical implications that flow from this comparison. The conceptual elements, that is the researchers' understanding of what a social movement is and the fundamental task of transforming direct, structural and cultural violence are analyzed. Then a synthesis of the findings is organized under the rubric of action research, to show step by step how a social movement might be designed. This is a positive approach to change but the need to also engage with the difficult issues is highlighted in a discussion of handling violence at demonstrations. Finally the implications of the findings for practice are discussed. The evidence suggests a paradigm shift: Rather than simply taking a stand against something the new social movement aims to coconstruct a positive alternative vision, a view of what the movement stands for (and models in its own functions). This is a more difficult task than simple opposition, but lays the foundation for a sustainable and resilient social movement that can take effective and constructive political action as it gains support and power. The conclusion is that the special issue, despite some methodological limitations, provides empirical evidence to support an approach to building social movements that is constructive and grounded in respectful relationships between individuals, groups, and society