I’ve become obsessed with “Un village français.” No, it’s not an idyllic town in Provence. It’s a French television series set during World War II. The show follows the residents of one French town as they navigate the German occupation. I tell myself that I am already into the 6th season (thank you, Netflix) because […]
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From French Resistance to hashtag activism: How our obsession with the extraordinary masks the power of the ordinary

Bringing the Organization Back In: Social Media and Social Movements
In the digital era of so-called Facebook revolutions or hashtag activism, many claim that participation in social movements is individualized and personalized, but building and sustaining a political movement, even an online movement, still requires organization. I make this argument in my recent blog post at the Berkeley Journal of Sociology.

Is Moral Monday the Tortoise and Occupy the Hare?
If you haven’t heard of the Moral Monday Movement, stay tuned. One year ago, on April 29, 2013, 17 people, including ministers, academics and workers, were arrested in the North Carolina legislative building in Raleigh. The 2012 general election ushered in a conservative take-over and super majority of the North Carolina General Assembly and a […]
The Digital Activism Gap – where social class, social media and social movements collide
The Pew Internet & American Life Project released a report today on social media and politics. It’s no surprise to sociologists that their findings reflect structural inequalities. Perhaps it was a bit of a jolt to digital utopianists, though. Aaron Smith, the author of the Pew report, finds social class divisions with political activity in […]