Forum on Southeast Europe: Social Movements 101, How to Mobilize for Change

Social movements are shaking and shaping the world in the last century. Ranging from movements against authoritarian regimes in countries such as Serbia, Egypt, Venezuela, Burma, and Iran, struggles against racial and gender inequality and gun violence, to recent global mobilization to tackle climate change, the phenomena of ‘people power’ has grabbed the attention of the public worldwide. What are key examples of social change achieved through social movements? What makes a successful nonviolent movement, and can we find common strategies and principles that social movements share worldwide? How can and will social movements impact the future of our community and our world?

Srđa Popović is the co-founder of CANVAS and was a founding member of the Otpor!, a movement that had a crucial part in bringing down Slobodan Milošević’s regime in Serbia. He has a wealth of experience working with activist groups, NGOs and students, teaching nonviolent methods to achieve a positive social change. Srđa’s educational work extends to teaching courses on nonviolent strategy at universities in the U.S. and the U.K, and authoring many publications on the topic of nonviolence including the book “Blueprint for Revolution.” In 2011, Foreign Policy Magazine listed Srđa Popović as one of the “Top 100 Global Thinkers” for inspiring the Arab Spring protesters.