The Politics of Common Sense: How Social Movements Use Public Discourse to Change Politics and Win Acceptance

by Deva R. Woodly

Overview

The way that movements communicate with the general public matters for their chances of lasting success. Deva Woodly argues that the potential for movement-led political change is significantly rooted in mainstream democratic discourse and specifically in the political acceptance of new issues by news media, the general public, and elected officials. This is true to some extent for any group wishing to alter status quo distributions of rights and/or resources, but is especially important for grassroots challengers who do not already have a place of legitimated influence in the polity. By examining the talk of two contemporary movements, the living wage and marriage equality, during the critical decade after their emergence between 1994-2004, Woodly shows that while the living wage movement experienced over 120 policy victories and the marriage equality movement suffered many policy defeats, the overall impact that marriage equality had on changing American politics was much greater than that of the living wage because of its deliberate effort to change mainstream political discourse, and thus, the public understanding of the politics surrounding the issue.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190203993
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	06/01/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	725,665
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Deva R. Woodly is Assistant Professor of Political Science, The New School

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Discursive Power of Movements

Chapter One: Mainstream Discourse, Public Meaning, and the Political Character of Persuasion

Chapter Two: A Tale of Two Movements- Living Wage

Chapter Three: A Tale of Two Movements- Marriage Equality

Chapter Four: The Discursive Architecture of Resonance

Chapter Five: Political Acceptance and the Process of Political Change

Chapter Six: From Marginal to Mainstream

Conclusion: After Acceptance - the Tea Party, Occupy & Prospects for political transformation

Appendix A
Appendix B
Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

"The Politics of Common Sense offers an intriguing example of theory building around the potential of social movements to influence political decision making in the US. Woodly (The New School) argues that movements ultimately compete in the arena of public discourse, and public discourse also represents a vital resource to mobilize. This thoughtful and insightful work is recommended for students of social movements and American public policy making."-D. R. Imig, University of Memphis

"In this timely and engaging book, Deva Woodly offers a fascinating account of how 'bottom-up political change' occurs. The Politics of Common Sense is especially valuable because it theorizes the messy, contested terrain of discourse as a vital site of political activity."—Ella Myers, Theory & Event

From the Publisher