Befreiungsbewegung
Befreiungsbewegung (liberation movement) is a general term for political or social movements that seek freedom, self-determination, or emancipation from oppression, colonization, occupation, or dominant social structures. They encompass a wide range of ideologies, including nationalism, socialism, liberalism, feminism, and human rights advocacy. Methods vary from nonviolent civil resistance, mass mobilization, and diplomatic pressure to armed struggle or guerrilla warfare. Movements may pursue national independence, territorial autonomy, or broader social emancipation within a state. They operate in external settings (colonial contexts) and internal settings (repressive regimes), and their legitimacy is debated across different actors and historical periods.
Historically, the term is strongly associated with 20th-century anti-colonial struggles and resistance to fascist regimes. Well-known
Scholars distinguish between successful and unsuccessful movements, and debates continue over their methods and legacies. In