Bringing Morality Back in: Three Interviews

Jeffrey Alexander, Nina Eliasoph, Doug McAdam, Anders Sevelsted*, Jonas Toubøl

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    This chapter presents three interviews with three influential voices in the field of social movement and civil society studies, namely, those of Doug McAdam, Jeffrey Alexander, and Nina Eliasoph. They all share their perspectives on social movements’ role in society’s moral development, the role of morality internally in social movements, and the role of morality for social science as a practice. In addition, they each discuss the moral foundations and implications of three global contentious struggles: Doug McAdam discusses the background and implications of the 2021 riot at Capitol Hill as related to a global right-wing backlash protest cycle. Jeffrey Alexander discusses the cultural and moral significance of the #MeeToo movement and how it demonstrates the potentials of a global civil sphere. Finally, Nina Eliasoph discusses how the climate crisis presents itself as unimaginable in the sense that it will change everyone’s way of life so profoundly that we cannot imagine what the future may be like and suggests that prefigurative communities is one way activists can approach such a political issue.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationThe Power of Morality in Movements : Civic Engagement in Climate Justice, Human Rights, and Democracy
    EditorsAnders Sevelsted, Jonas Toubøl
    Number of pages21
    Place of PublicationCham
    PublisherSpringer
    Publication date2023
    Pages39-59
    Chapter3
    ISBN (Print)9783030987978, 9783030988005
    ISBN (Electronic)9783030987985
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2023
    SeriesNonprofit and Civil Society Studies
    ISSN1568-2579

    Bibliographical note

    Published online: 08 November 2022.

    Keywords

    • Movements in society
    • Morality in movements
    • Morality in social science
    • Right-wing backlash
    • 2021 US Capitol attack
    • #MeToo
    • The climate justice movement

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