Why is it that some people will make an effort to speak up for change – to engage in advocacy – on issues they are concerned about, while others with similar concerns don’t?
Why will one person write a letter, speak out at a meeting or sign an online petition while someone else with similar beliefs and values will stay silent?
How can organizations who need people to speak up on their issues get the inactive supporter more engaged? What can they do to motivate someone to get off the couch and onto their computer to sign a petition or onto the phone to call a politician?
These are questions I am pondering as part of a Masters of Education project I am doing through the University of Victoria. (See the about page for more information). This blog will explore why people do or don’t act for change. Comments are encouraged! (See “Implied consent” sidebar).
One of the words central to this discussion is “advocacy”. This is the word I think of when I say people “act for change”. But what does “advocacy” mean and what kinds of activities does it cover? Is giving a donation to a cause “advocacy”? Is calling someone on a sexist or racist joke “advocacy”? Where is the line?
Wikipedia has a piece on advocacy that states “advocacy can be seen as a deliberate process of speaking out on issues of concern in order to exert some influence on behalf of ideas or persons.” The blurb also talks about advocacy as being an effort to influence outcomes that affect peoples lives, such as decisions on public policy or the allocation of resources. The online Free Dictionary has a definition of advocacy as the “active support of a cause or course of action”.
What I like about the Wikipedia statement is that it includes the notion of being deliberate and of speaking out in order to create change. While I believe the “active support” of something is an important part of advocacy, on its own, it is not a complete definition of the word. I think the active support needs to be acted upon by “speaking out” in order to influence a decision or outcome. The “active” part is the speaking out or standing up for change. This is what I am trying to say when someone is “acting for change.”
If speaking out to influence outcomes is important, then is donating money advocacy? Is talking to a friend, one-on-one, about an issue a form of advocacy?
Do you agree with how I am defining advocacy? What other activities qualify as advocacy in your opinion? Some of the typical advocacy activities might be seen as writing letters or talking to politicians, going to a demonstration, or signing a petition. What else does advocacy bring to mind?
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | Activism, Advocacy, Social change
I think advocacy can be passive. You may choose not to act or speak up now because of other engagements. One has only so much energy and time to expend on social causes. However, you may “act” in a passive way by not engaging in something you object to, such as not going to a certain store or not participating in a certain activity, such as voting. That’s advocacy too I would think. It’s just that it can’t readily be measured.
Thanks for your comment Gen. I agree that not acting is an important and necessary part of social change. Not driving a car, not sending Christmas cards, or not listening to sexist jokes are important choices. However, I am still not sure I would define these activities as “advocacy”. For me, the main missing ingredient is the idea of trying to deliberately influence an outcome.
I realize this is a fine line and maybe I am splitting hairs. If you participate in a boycott campaign and refuse to buy certain things in order to influence the decisions of a business or even a country, you’re making an active choice to achieve a particular outcome. To me that is “advocacy”. However, if you quietly avoid a certain store or even refuse to vote without having a particular outcome you are trying to achieve, without trying to convince others of the merit of your choice, I am not sure that would be “advocacy”. Like changing over to fluorescent light bulbs, it may be an important choice you are making but if it isn’t trying to influence policy changes or decisions that will impact others it is just that, a personal choice.
Again, I don’t want to belittle personal choices for social change – they are critical. I just don’t think they necessarily count as advocacy activities. Does this make sense?
Hi Jen,
You must be thinking hard lately!
I read through your blogs yesterday and then went to bed and my mind became a whirl throughout the night.
History might have a lot to do with advocacy or non advocacy – our collective history of condemnation for thoughts outside the norm or thoughts against the leading powers. I’m thinking about things like witch hunts and burning at the stake for beliefs… then to McCarthyism etc. Unconsiously these things might still resonate with people and give a negative bend on voicing opinions publically.
I try to think why wouldn’t a person want to voice their opinion? Then I think, “Well, maybe they don’t have an opinion.” Maybe their ideas are not clearly formed in their heads enough or they don’t feel informed enough about a subject to voice their opinion. But they may ‘feel’ strongly about things. I think about an anonymous forum where people would voice their opinions without having to be held accountable for them – sounds crazy I know, but it would get their thoughts out there and then maybe, just maybe they would then take the next important steps of owning their opinions and feeling more comfortable voicing them and then actually advocating for them.
Social background would have a lot to do with it as well. The families we grew up in (like you mentioned yourself) and wether or not they were active in their communities or with politics or social issues. Of course any type of strife/poverty/struggle would not always allow for thoughts of other…
I remember being full of ideas at 19 years old and then having my boss at the time tell me non chalantly “you’re not old enough to have an opinion.” Boy, that did me in for most of my 20′s! I kept thinking, “when will I be old enough to have a real opinion?” OUCH. It took me a while to realize that I can (in the words of Desiderata) “speak my truth quietly and clearly” and people will either take it in or they won’t. It was another while before I felt comfortable advocating for people and things I believe in. Entering nursing did help me to see the struggle a bit more clearly and to help others to advocate for themselves is a large part of my work – I see people almost everyday unable to/afraid to speak up or even not knowing that they CAN speak up and ask questions – and this is about own bodies!
Well, those are my night thoughts for now.
Stay well,
Susan
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog. Especially enjoyed the poem. The whole thing has me thinking about the complex relationship I have with advocacy.
I have a strong sense of the kind of world that I long for and strive for. Yet I also value non-judgement.
I have never felt positive about my experiences in protests or at meetings where I am trying to convince others of the validity of my world view (vs theirs).
When I “speak out on issues of concern in order to exert some influence”, I am telling another person that I do not respect what they value. How can they not respond defensively? I feel the confrontational dynamic in the room. I have just stated my position and now the only option is for the other to defend their position. What learning has taken place? If I present my argument very carefully and cleverly then perhaps I have an impact, but I have likely not changed anyone’s view of the world.
I do sign petitions and am write letters on issues of concern to me and I donate to advocacy groups that are striving to achieve an environmentally sustainable and socially just society. So I guess I’m an advocate. I also really like Ghandi’s “my life is my message” quote and perhaps this is a form of advocacy. But in this context I think of myself as sharing or expressing my values instead of advocating.
There is something confrontational that about advocacy that I am not comfortable with. But maybe that is because citizen groups striving for change are often not given a place at the table and that forces them into a position where they must speak loudly, convincingly and forcefully to have their voices heard. For this, I am very appreciative that there are people who are comfortable or willing to take on the advocacy role while I try to play the role of creating the space for them to come to the table.
Thanks for getting me thinking about this.