Strategic Dramaturgy In The American Civil Rights Movement

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The start of the civil rights movement created lots of conversion of the 1950’s. Doug McAdam in “Strategic Dramaturgy in the American Civil Rights Movement,” “…refines our understanding…” (McAdam, 338) of the framing of the civil rights movement. Compared to George C. Wallace in “The Civil Rights Movement: Fraud, Sham, and Hoax” who was against the civil rights movement and everything it stood for. Both readings show different opinions and aspects people had during the civil rights era. In “Strategic Dramaturgy in the American Civil Rights Movement,” Doug McAdam thoroughly explains the process and meaning of framing. Framing can be defined as giving meaning to “relevant events” that are intended to bring awareness, gain support, and “demobilize antagonists” (McAdam, 339) The concept of framing is to get major attention on the actions …show more content…

It only takes a few activists to join together to create a collective action and later on a movement. As stated before, the main goal of MLK and SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) was to gain attraction of the media, bystanders, and state authorities. Furthermore, they used these tactics as a “principal weapon” to hinder movement opponents. To greatly mobilize a movement, media is needed. Media helps get the word out faster about the struggle. “…power of the media influences public awareness…” ( McAdam, 346) McAdam saw the media as a key component, because with media you can get your massage across nationally. With the example of the SCLC and Martin Luther King Jr., their actions were newsworthy, which is what McAdam found as a requirement to make it into media, “…the event be judged newsworthy.” (McAdam, 346) Media gives people a visual of whats happening. Since the media showed key events of