Social Movement Strategy in the Age of Social Media

press release: 6:30pm-8:30pm, January 7, Central Library

Free. Please RSVP on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/social-movement-strategy-in-the-age-of-social-media-a-co-design-workshop-tickets-52847097090

Online networks are transforming the way people engage with social movements around the world. At this event, MIT researcher Libby Falck will share her work on the three major ways social movement organizers can utilize digital networks to reach and engage new supporters. We'll then discuss how these lessons can be applied here in Wisconsin.

This workshop is for 10-25 activists, gamers, and artists to explore opportunities for cross-issue promotion and crowdsourced strategy to help social movements achieve their goals. We will specifically discuss strategy for a game prototype that leverages Wisconsin history to encourage local civic engagement and activism.

Introduction to Libby Falck's research on the ways online networks are transforming civic engagement, with a focus on Wisconsin.

Strategy co-design activity: use prompts to map key opportunities for civic action in Wisconsin communities between June and August of 2019.

Discuss ways to continue the conversation.

What's the big idea here?

The output of this workshop will be integrated into an 8-week social movement game prototype that will take place in summer 2019. The goal of this game is to put research into practice and discover what works here in Wisconsin. The game will invite players to uncover a time-traveling story embedded in Wisconsin state history. From Laffollett’s fight against corporate corruption and Leopold’s protection of state lands, to the Republican promotion of public education, we seek to remind Wisconsinites of their roots through place-based connection to the past and future.

The driving question is: How might games enable social movement organizations to strategically coordinate creative resistance at the local level?

Learn more about this project here!