Page 394 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

9781412934633-Chap-24 1/10/09 8:55 AM Page 365

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN LATIN AMERICA 365

Our objective in this research is three-fold. Obviously, not every choice of words reflects
First, we aim to demonstrate, by means of a significant divergence in people’s world-
statistical procedures, that the ‘magma of view. However, systematic preferences
empirical components’ (Melucci and Lyyra, when selecting words to articulate it may
1998: 210) and the ‘particular cultural under- indicate a distinct perception of self and of the
standings and practices’ (McAdam et al., issues at stake. In this regard, a particularly
2001: 346) that underlie social mobilization interesting aspect to analyze is gender-based
follow some general patterns even at the differences in discourse.
most subjective level. In this regard, our If we consider that one of the innovative
methodology enables us to obtain robust data aspects of the current forms of social mobi-
on the activists’ discourse. These results can lization in Latin America is the framing of
be used, along with other types of data grievances through the language of rights,
(polling, event-analysis, etc.), to trace and that preliminary evidence shows that
changes and describe ‘cultural’ tendencies in women produce a discourse that is more
social movements. ‘Subjective’ information – strongly connected to the idea of ‘rights’ than
when not collected through sampling – is too that of men while linking it to life-world
often dismissed as either non-reliable or only themes; we can speculate that women’s par-
relevant to a specific context. We have shown ticipation in sex-integrated social movements
that, by asking simple and general, non- may have a causal effect on the way in which
context-specific questions and empirically social mobilization is framed. Specifically,
detecting patterns in the interviewees’ choice this means that the female activists’ focus on
of words, we can observe the social represen- life-world themes and rights claims could
tations that frame their identities, percep- contribute to further the shift towards ‘citizen
tions, and normative orientations. Second, mobilization’ and away from other forms of
our analysis seems to confirm the trend mobilization that focus on political issues
towards cultural particularism in social and are prone to frame their agenda in terms
mobilization. We see, in the activists’ narra- of antagonistic confrontation. Citizens’move-
tives, the centrality of the ‘here and now’ and ments seek recognition of individual and
the focus on ‘transforming everyday life’ group rights, rather than trying to impose a
(Santos, 2001: 178). However, this phenome- specific program of overall social transforma-
non does not necessarily translate into pur- tion. They stress on intra- and inter-group
ely ‘spontaneous’ or mostly ‘fragmented’ cooperation, but they assign a particular value
activism. Our research reveals a significant to autonomy, both individual and communal.
degree of cohesion in terms of the actors’ Does this shift towards a less disruptive,
shared representations of the main issues at more routinized, and more individualized
stake. As we said, these representations are mobilization spell the end of conflict as the
not uniquely related to economic claims. main factor of social change in Latin
They convey a demand for inclusion in the America? The answer is, of course, no.
political and economic system, rather than However, conflict, as well as cooperation,
for its revolutionary transformation. The becomes more institutionalized through the
hypothesis of the ‘institutionalization’ of notion of citizenship. The notions of citizen-
protest and the rise of a ‘movement society’ ship and dignity were not often explicitly
in Latin America, even if there are still sig- invoked, but they appeared to permeate the
nificant differences when compared to North respondents’ narratives. Their central demand
America, is supported by our findings. Third, is to be treated fairly by the state and by the
our approach is particularly suited for com- market. The very idea that fair conditions at
paring different groups within the social the workplace and proper services provided
movements. Different vocabularies mean by the state should be normally expected
different ways of framing social reality. constitutes in itself a new phenomenon in