Unleashing Large Scale Social Movements

Catalog description

Countless impactful ideas and interventions hold the potential to improve the world; but, few gain the traction to spread. Aspiring leaders driving transformative social change often struggle to engage others in a meaningful, comprehensive way, reaching hundreds when millions could benefit. This course delves in the mechanics of successful large-scale social movements, exploring how initiatives evolve from ideas to transformative forces. The course will address three questions: (1) How do we secure a genuine collective commitment? (2) How can we set a strategy with leverage and reach, making the most of finite resources? (3) How do we take actions in a way that achieves our goals for growth and impact, and optimizing rapid learning and improvement? Drawing on examples of social movement and collective activism in the United States and around the world, the course provides students with a blueprint to raise awareness, build will, and inspire behavior change among large groups of people to address shared social issues.