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The role of movement leaders in building intergroup solidarity for social change: A case of the electoral reform movement in Malaysia
Author(s) -
Selvanathan Hema Preya,
Khoo Ying Hooi,
Lickel Brian
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
european journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1099-0992
pISSN - 0046-2772
DOI - 10.1002/ejsp.2598
Subject(s) - solidarity , movement (music) , craft , social movement , social identity theory , collective identity , identity (music) , social change , social psychology , resource mobilization , political science , social group , public relations , psychology , sociology , politics , philosophy , physics , archaeology , acoustics , law , history , aesthetics
Abstract Leaders of social movements play a critical role in mobilizing broader society for social change. However, we know little about how movement leaders strategize to build a movement. To examine this issue, we interviewed the central leadership team of the electoral reform movement (Bersih) in Malaysia, before and after a mass protest organized by the movement. We then used thematic analysis to provide theoretically derived insights into how the leaders fostered intergroup solidarity among multiple racial groups. Specifically, they (a) expanded the movement's boundaries to include new groups within its support base, (b) shared the demands of the movement with multiple groups, and (c) highlighted leaders that were representative of different groups the movement sought to unite. These findings demonstrate how leaders attempt to craft an inclusive movement identity (i.e., who we are, what we do, who stands for us) to mobilize a diverse society for social change.