movementleaving
Movementleaving is the act or process of withdrawing from involvement in a social, political, or activist movement, campaign, or collective action. It can involve individuals stepping back from public campaigning, resigning from leadership roles, or redirecting attention to other causes. The term is a neologism that combines movement and leaving and is used in sociological and activist discourse to analyze why participants disengage from collective action and how such disengagement shapes movements.
Origin and usage: The coinage emerged in early 2020s commentary and is used to describe a pattern
Motivations: Movementleaving arises from burnout, perceived strategic misalignment, ethical concerns, or shifts in personal or professional
Mechanisms: Exits can be gradual or abrupt, private or public. They may involve formal resignations, public
Consequences: Movements can experience resource gaps, diminished momentum, or internal reform in response to exits. Conversely,
Critique: Critics worry exits undermine collective power, while proponents view movementleaving as a legitimate check on
See also: defection, activist burnout, political disengagement.