Building the “Big Tent:” Collective Identity and Political Action in Contemporary Mutual Aid Organizing
Roskill, Olivia M.
2021
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At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States witnessed an explosion of mutual aid networks of an unprecedented magnitude. These networks came together in efforts to mitigate widespread inequality exacerbated by the pandemic. This surge suggests that mutual aid organizing is an emergent form of political action that warrants the attention of scholars. I aim to contribute to this gap in ... read moreknowledge by providing an empirical analysis of mutual aid organizing and situating it within social movement theory. Social movement literature identifies elements of organizational identities, particularly distinctions between inclusive and exclusive identity frames, that impact collective action outcomes. In this thesis, I argue that the Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville (MAMAS) network has not explicitly clarified its identity, and this has implications for the group’s ability to address structural, material, social, and political inequality on a local level. I assess the internal tensions that arise as a result of the organization’s disparate identities as both an inclusive network of neighbors and an ideologically exclusive group of political actors. Ultimately, I assert that mutual aid organizing is a form of political participation that has the potential to mitigate local inequality by relieving urgent material needs, cultivating safe spaces for marginalized groups, and creating new channels for political engagement. Nonetheless, internal tensions prevent the group from enacting structural changes, posing challenges for the sustainability of impact.
Advisor: Dr. Anjuli Fahlbergread less - ID:
- 9593v842g
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