Explaining how social change works
More people than ever are actively committed to social progress. Macht-Manöver convenes them in a conversation about which strategies can effect political change.
A look at the statistics can be emotionally beneficial. For example, when it confirms your gut feeling. My gut says: There are more political protests than ever. More political engagement, more resistance, more demonstrations. The databases agree: According to them, there were three times (!) as many anti-government protests in Europe in 2019 as there were 10 years prior. The global data speak the same language. The increase in protests is no miracle, but has its good reason. From the climate crisis to discrimination to increasing inequality: Many systems are not working as they should. It is clear: It cannot go on like this.
Dear media: Thanks for nothing
A look into the media can be emotionally difficult. For example when after reading, essential questions remain open, confusion has rather increased and in addition a feeling of despair spreads. I know what I’m talking about. I would like to know if a particular protest actually changes anything. I would like to know what I and the movements fighting for social progress can learn from successful campaigns. I would like to know, out of curiosity and from a very personal concern: How does social change actually work?
We need some power moves
We have a concise social development (more commitment to social progress) and a media gap (no focus on the “how” of social change). Reason enough to found the project Macht-Manöver (which is German and very roughly translates as “power moves”). The newsletter and podcast take a behind-the-scenes look at political struggles. Political strategists and activists reveal how they advance social change, which strategies are successful in which situation and which are not. The essential point: It is not primarily about what they are fighting for, but how.
By following, readers and listeners should hopefully be able to better understand social change. Draw courage because they see that change is possible. And become active themselves or act more effectively because they learn from the experiences of others. Not least, the focus on the “how” enables a common language of transformation for different struggles.
The vision: From stories to conversation
So, I’m going to do a little research, and then explain how we save the world? The idea has a certain appeal. However, I prefer to stick to what Jeff Jarvis said about the mission of journalism: It is to “convene communities into civil, informed and productive conversation.”
Macht-Manöver seeks to stimulate and support such a conversation. For the community of all those who fight or want to fight for a better — more just, more sustainable, more democratic, more peaceful, more unified — world.
The stories in the newsletter and podcast are therefore only the first step. Over time, Macht-Manöver wants to create a space that enables exchange, learning and togetherness within the community, both digitally and in real life — and thus progress for all. Are you in?
Macht-Manöver will initially appear only in German. Check out the website anyway: www.machtmanoever.net. You can reach me at gerhard(at)machtmanoever.net or connect on LinkedIn.
