Movementsrather

Movementsrather is a term in social theory and digital activism that describes an approach to collective action emphasizing movement-to-movement collaboration and networked organizing over traditional single-issue campaigns or centralized leadership. Proponents view social change as arising from interconnected campaigns that share resources, information, and tactics across issues, geographies, and organizations.

The term was coined in the early 2020s by scholars studying online activism and transnational coalitions. It blends the plural "movements" with the word "rather" to signal a preference for movement-wide strategies rather than a portfolio of independent campaigns.

Core concepts include intermovement coalition-building, distributed leadership, openness and inclusivity, and data-informed planning. Movementsrather treats social organizations as interconnected networks rather than discrete entities, prioritizing broad participation, equitable decision-making, and cross-issue framing. It aims to improve resilience by leveraging shared infrastructure and mutual aid.

Practices associated with movementsrather often involve movement mapping and alliance-building, shared messaging and calendars, rapid-response coordination, and open-data dashboards. It supports capacity-building across groups and encourages the use of digital platforms to coordinate actions while maintaining sensitivity to local contexts.

Reception is mixed. Supporters argue that the approach expands reach, reduces rivalry, and sustains momentum through cross-movement solidarity. Critics caution that it can risk mission drift, coordination overhead, and accountability challenges, especially when participating groups have divergent priorities. Empirical work is still developing, with case studies spanning labor, environmental, and social justice movements.

See also: social movement theory, coalition-building, digital activism, networked governance.