#traversonslarue
Bennett Lance and Segerberg Alexandra in The Logic of Connective Action analyze the changes in organizational dynamics of social movements led by the increase of social media use. Bennett and Segerberg differentiate between collective and connective actions based on the different degrees of digitally mediated action performed by the movements. In general, collective action relies on high levels of organizational resources, strong ties and the formation of collective identities while connective action relies on media networked relationships. Additionally, the two authors identify a sub-division within the branch of connective action based on the degree of organization and coordination of actions. According to them, there are three ideal types of large-scale action networks:
Collective action (strong organizational coordination of action): Social media used to coordinate the participants and the goals, but also build interpersonal relationships between the members in collective action frames. Typically, it needs more effort, resources and pressure from the members because it requires change in people’s lifestyles.
Connective action (little or no organizational coordination of action): Social media used to share members’ opinion and organize. The message is spread with emergent inclusive personal action frames (tailored for a certain ideology). It is tipical of the organizations which are losing their grip on members and based on fluid relationships.
Connective action (loose organizational coordination of action): Hybrid between the first two.
Analyzed through the lenses of Bennett and Segerberg's work, the social movement of the yellow vests, started in October 2018 in Paris, would identify with the connective action with loose organizational coordination. This is because, the movement, which fights the rise in fuel taxes, is in the middle between the two extremes of collective and connective action. Thus, the yellow vests movement does not heavily on social media to organize the action but it makes a certain use of it i.e. the hashtag #traversonslarue. Moreover, the members of the movement share a common goal and pursue specific actions - such as the Saturday street protests - to achieve it. However, they do not radically change lifestyle. It may be argued that, since the movement started, some things changed in yellow vests protesters’ lives. For instance, members have been wearing the yellow vests to go out and they increased their social media use. Although, these are not real lifestyle changes compared to becoming a vegetarian or to walking instead of driving. In addition, it may be argued that the yellow vests movement frames its message. Indeed, as shown in the poster A below, the yellow vests sometimes recall the communist symbols to create a common proletarian identity within the members and attract a certain targeted group. Despite this political exclusivity, they are being inclusive since they depict different genders and ages. In addition, they use very bold colors to recall the color of the vests and to emphasize the aggressiveness of their message. Lastly, they employ the slogan “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” to build on the feelings of resistance of the French Revolution.
(A) Mediapart (2018)
“We are going to look for Manu (Macron), let’s cross the street”
“The yellow vests are in Paris”
White strip: “Who is looking for me?”
Black signs: “Freedom, Equality, Fraternity”
Overall, it may be argued that the yellow vests movement is a hybrid between a large-scale connective action and a collective action because it relies on both personalized online communication but it also shows a high degree of organization outside of social media.
