I had the opportunity to actually attend a canvassers meeting. These meetings are held for many reasons: to train new canvassers, to garner support within the group before going out to do the canvassing, to update everyone on how everyone is doing out in the field, etc. For this meeting, the CWA canvassers gathered together before separating into small groups to go canvassing in different areas near Austin.
They talked about so many different things.
While sitting in the room with them, I remember seeing posters and signs on the wall. One board had the names of all the canvassers and their ranks. Next to their names was a tally of their total points.
On the very top of the wall it had signs that said: keep it short and simple, clip board control, confident language, targeting, and eye contact. These were their exact tactics/tips for canvassing door to door. Daily reminders of their techniques of persuasion were obviously positioned for them to see.
So at the very beginning of the meeting, they pointed out the top canvassers and gave applause for each person. The large amount of support that they had for one another was amazing! They all seemed to be so genuinely happy and proud for one another on a job well done. Encouragement is an important factor to emphasize in social change groups. Sure, people need to feel mad and passionate enough to make change happen. But what makes social change groups continue and last? Anger can help fuel a cause, but I feel like the positive is what keeps it going. People need to know and feel like what they are doing is good and successful. By pointing out individual successes and supporting one another, this brings about more fervor for the cause and greater connection within the organization. It always feels nice to be recognized for our accomplishments. We feel appreciated and this can be a powerful means to encourage us to do more.
They even talked about socials and mixers they would be having in the future. These people really hung out with each other. They had relationships with one another. They were friends. They were like a family, even. Once formed, I feel like these bonds are the hardest to break. At this point, people are emotionally intertwined with one another. It's hard to go back to a state of neutrality like the acquaintance state.
Even before the meeting started they were talking to each other about what they did over the weekend, concerts they went to, movies they wanted to see. I was so impressed by the depth of their relationships. When I think of other social change groups, I think that a lot of them are so large that most of the members are unrecognizable. It was different at change water.
Their group was just the right size so that everyone knew each other. They called each other by their own names. The importance of calling others by their names is very effective. It puts us down when someone forgets our names after just meeting them, or if they don't even try to know our names and get our attention by saying "Hey!" The dynamics were so deep rooted, and this was something I definitely admired in CWA.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Interview with David Foster of Clean Water Action
- Control toxins in the environment, particularly water
- Very political - endorse certain legislative proposals, endorse political candidates, use membership
- Founder - David Zwick, Ralph Nader Protege
- Nader had a whole list of issues, Zwick picked water
- Zwick wrote Water Wasteland
- Clean Water Act - most successful environmental legislation (passed in 1972 and this is when Clean Water Action was formed)
- No meetings, strength of organization is in Canvassers
- Canvassers - team that goes to neighborhoods, knocking on doors (get letters, petitions, notes, donations)
- 32,000 members in Texas
- Selective in where they go - target legislators
- Texas Community Project (another organization) - focus on community like transportation, parks, etc.
- Legislature in session (81st) - Coalition for Alliance of a Clean Texas works on legislative priorities
- This year's focus: clean energy (Texas is No.1 wind state in the nation)
- Water Conservation on the local level (drought, climate change, diminishing resources effecting this)
- So many successes, especially electorally
- Austin - elected green council by 1997, recycling program for apartment complexes, pass bond initiatives
- Rhetoric - big focus on training canvassers to communication effectively
- Communication - how to frame the issue, what motivates the person being talked to, predict what public is thinking before sending canvass in
- Canvasses skilled at honing a clear and precise message, have a lot of time to spend with people
- Re-frame wording: like don't use the word "climate change" and instead focus on creating more jobs with solar energy (spinning the meaning)
- No specific age group that they're most successful with (non-partisan - water is important to everyone, so is clean energy)
- "We're going to knock on people's doors and interrupt their favorite television shows, but they're going to thank us. They're going to give us money and they're going to thank us."
- Bringing information that they probably wouldn't get otherwise (people too busy, news doesn't always report stories)
- Face to face communication - more valuable than phone call, tv, ad, etc.
- Several things are founded in water (energy founded in water, water is basic)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Rhetoric, Ideology, and Propaganda
This week I presented with my partner, Sarah, on the United States mobilization effort during World War II. There was so much that I learned while doing this project. There is so much detail and technique when trying to persuade people on your side towards a cause. It was amazing seeing how effective images and fear appeals were during this time in order to create polarization between the United States and Nazi Germany/Japan.
Our thesis was:
Slide 1
The two main ways in which this effort was successful was by:
-Rallying support for the war mainly through the government control of information and with the help of Hollywood; this tight control over the situation left the American people with a single, very biased representation of the war abroad.
-Both of these media sources used strong emotional and fear appeals to justify World War II to the American people.
And as an outcome, this social movement was not only successful in its own time, but it has also helped to shape subsequent social change movements throughout history.
Definitions of propaganda:
-Lee and Lee note that the Institute for Propaganda Analysis has defined propaganda as "expression of opinion or action by individuals or groups deliberately designed to influence opinions or actions of other individuals or groups with reference to predetermined ends."
There are several propagandistic techniques.
-The Institute of Propaganda Analysis identified a couple of propaganda techniques. Among them are:
-Name calling
-Glittering generality
-Transfer
-Testimonial
-Plain folks
-Card stacking
-Bandwagon
My previous perception of what propaganda is was more extreme than what I learned from this project. Propaganda is everywhere. Sometimes it is so underhanded that we don't even notice it. It doesn't come off as evil at times. But that's the thing. I thought of propaganda as evil and obvious to notice. But it's not always evil, depending on the person. I see propaganda in television shows, with the cast telling us how to dress or what's cool.
Similar to this, Clean Water Action must also use propaganda and its techniques to persuade its audience. Referring back to my friend's, Jaymie's, account of her experience with this social change group, the CWA representative did include propagandistic tactics in her rhetoric.
Some of the tactics she used were glittering generalities, card stacking, and plain folks. She connected the United States with the idea of it being our home, our place of comfort. Why wouldn't we protect it? She talked about democracy and freedom, two very vague terms that mean so much to American people. She stacked question after question. Sometimes these questions were so outrageous, as if our contribution to their efforts would help democracy and our state as directly as they made it seemed. And in the beginning, she incorporated the plain folks appeal making her seem just like is. She brought herself down to our level, making her seem that much more believable and legitimate in her words.
It was interesting to look back on my friend's experience with CWA and actually notice these tactics being used with my friend. They obviously did work on her because she did donate money and wrote a letter.
Our thesis was:
•
The U.S. mobilization effort of World War II had a powerful effect on the American people because of its heavy use of propaganda and lack of alternate media sources.
The two main ways in which this effort was successful was by:
-Rallying support for the war mainly through the government control of information and with the help of Hollywood; this tight control over the situation left the American people with a single, very biased representation of the war abroad.
-Both of these media sources used strong emotional and fear appeals to justify World War II to the American people.
And as an outcome, this social movement was not only successful in its own time, but it has also helped to shape subsequent social change movements throughout history.
Definitions of propaganda:
-According to Jowett and O'Donnell, propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.
-Lee and Lee note that the Institute for Propaganda Analysis has defined propaganda as "expression of opinion or action by individuals or groups deliberately designed to influence opinions or actions of other individuals or groups with reference to predetermined ends."
There are several propagandistic techniques.
-The Institute of Propaganda Analysis identified a couple of propaganda techniques. Among them are:
-Name calling
-Glittering generality
-Transfer
-Testimonial
-Plain folks
-Card stacking
-Bandwagon
My previous perception of what propaganda is was more extreme than what I learned from this project. Propaganda is everywhere. Sometimes it is so underhanded that we don't even notice it. It doesn't come off as evil at times. But that's the thing. I thought of propaganda as evil and obvious to notice. But it's not always evil, depending on the person. I see propaganda in television shows, with the cast telling us how to dress or what's cool.
Similar to this, Clean Water Action must also use propaganda and its techniques to persuade its audience. Referring back to my friend's, Jaymie's, account of her experience with this social change group, the CWA representative did include propagandistic tactics in her rhetoric.
Some of the tactics she used were glittering generalities, card stacking, and plain folks. She connected the United States with the idea of it being our home, our place of comfort. Why wouldn't we protect it? She talked about democracy and freedom, two very vague terms that mean so much to American people. She stacked question after question. Sometimes these questions were so outrageous, as if our contribution to their efforts would help democracy and our state as directly as they made it seemed. And in the beginning, she incorporated the plain folks appeal making her seem just like is. She brought herself down to our level, making her seem that much more believable and legitimate in her words.
It was interesting to look back on my friend's experience with CWA and actually notice these tactics being used with my friend. They obviously did work on her because she did donate money and wrote a letter.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Social Change and the News Media
So I really don't know much about Clean Water Action at all. How do they spread their mission? How do they attract followers? Do they use the media in any way to gain support?
Since I didn't know anything about this social change group, I decided to ask my friends if they have heard about them. My friend, Jaymie, had actually experienced a Clean Water Action person come to her door one evening. She told me it was late at night, maybe around 9:00 PM and it was already dark. When she opened the door to see who was knocking at her door at such an hour since she wasn't expecting anyone, a young girl in her late 20s/early 30s with blonde hair was standing outside her door. She greeted her very nicely and began to introduce herself by telling her name and Clean Water Action. She showed that she wanted to establish that personal contact by telling her name and asking for Jaymie's name. This really appeals to people because it puts you on the same level by establishing that connection/foundation.
Next she started asking her if she cared about her nation's waters. Do you care about having clean water for yourself? For your family and friends? For future generations? How about the aquatic animals undersea, do you care about their well being? Do you care about your state? Do you care about democracy?
All of these questions were questions that were hard to say "no" to. Naturally, my friend couldn't say "no" either, but she did tell me that she didn't find the woman to be annoying. So the woman proceeded to tell her about Clean Water Action, its mission, and the good that they do. She talked about how their cause was so important and helpful to all of the things she talked about earlier. She also talked about how writing a letter to their local congressman was a necessary action in getting their voices heard. Finally at the end of her informative speech, she asked if my friend wanted to write a letter to our local congressman. This seemed to be her main focus. She wanted Jaymie to get her voice heard about these important issues by writing a letter to the local government.
Jaymie ended up writing a letter and even giving a small donation. The woman did ask for a contribution of any amount, but didn't really stress this part. Jaymie told me that they weren't annoying and demanding like other groups she's experienced on campus. They weren't as aggressive about getting people to do things for their cause. She said that this was the main reason she gave her time and money to CWA. She found them to be very congenial and non-demanding; she really appreciated their approach.
In class, the topic for the week is Social Change and News Media. Two of my classmates talked about the relevance of social change movements and the news media. Media has the power to help the goals of social change groups. Everywhere we experience billboards, television advertisements, radio ads, print ads in magazines, celebrity endorsements, etc. all trying to get us to support a cause. Some groups are more effective than others? For my social change group, I haven't observed them in the media. So what is it that they focus on in order to make themselves known? Is this door-to-door tactic their main persuasive technique? Their only technique? If so, why? What makes it so effective over the new technology that our world and society has come up with? Their are so many different forms of media to advertise with.
On the other hand, from the experience that my friend had with Clean Water Action, it seemed like it worked very well with her. So they're probably doing something right.
Since I didn't know anything about this social change group, I decided to ask my friends if they have heard about them. My friend, Jaymie, had actually experienced a Clean Water Action person come to her door one evening. She told me it was late at night, maybe around 9:00 PM and it was already dark. When she opened the door to see who was knocking at her door at such an hour since she wasn't expecting anyone, a young girl in her late 20s/early 30s with blonde hair was standing outside her door. She greeted her very nicely and began to introduce herself by telling her name and Clean Water Action. She showed that she wanted to establish that personal contact by telling her name and asking for Jaymie's name. This really appeals to people because it puts you on the same level by establishing that connection/foundation.
Next she started asking her if she cared about her nation's waters. Do you care about having clean water for yourself? For your family and friends? For future generations? How about the aquatic animals undersea, do you care about their well being? Do you care about your state? Do you care about democracy?
All of these questions were questions that were hard to say "no" to. Naturally, my friend couldn't say "no" either, but she did tell me that she didn't find the woman to be annoying. So the woman proceeded to tell her about Clean Water Action, its mission, and the good that they do. She talked about how their cause was so important and helpful to all of the things she talked about earlier. She also talked about how writing a letter to their local congressman was a necessary action in getting their voices heard. Finally at the end of her informative speech, she asked if my friend wanted to write a letter to our local congressman. This seemed to be her main focus. She wanted Jaymie to get her voice heard about these important issues by writing a letter to the local government.
Jaymie ended up writing a letter and even giving a small donation. The woman did ask for a contribution of any amount, but didn't really stress this part. Jaymie told me that they weren't annoying and demanding like other groups she's experienced on campus. They weren't as aggressive about getting people to do things for their cause. She said that this was the main reason she gave her time and money to CWA. She found them to be very congenial and non-demanding; she really appreciated their approach.
In class, the topic for the week is Social Change and News Media. Two of my classmates talked about the relevance of social change movements and the news media. Media has the power to help the goals of social change groups. Everywhere we experience billboards, television advertisements, radio ads, print ads in magazines, celebrity endorsements, etc. all trying to get us to support a cause. Some groups are more effective than others? For my social change group, I haven't observed them in the media. So what is it that they focus on in order to make themselves known? Is this door-to-door tactic their main persuasive technique? Their only technique? If so, why? What makes it so effective over the new technology that our world and society has come up with? Their are so many different forms of media to advertise with.
On the other hand, from the experience that my friend had with Clean Water Action, it seemed like it worked very well with her. So they're probably doing something right.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
