The Black Lives Matter movement has illustrated what a modern protest looks like in the world of technology and social media.
Sara Koopman, Ph.D., assistant professor of Kent State’s School of Peace and Conflict Studies, spoke on WKYC's We the People about how modern technology has changed how protests are organized compared to how they were in the 50’s and 60’s civil rights movements.
“People don’t need big charismatic leaders in the same way, organizing pops up all over the place,” Koopman said. “Anyone can start their own Black Lives Matter protest...It’s more horizontal and networked instead of top-down, centrally coordinated, pyramid structure we saw in the 60’s.”
Watch the full video conversation with Koopman and Cleveland State University’s Director of Black Studies, Thomas Bynum below or at www.wkyc.com/video/entertainment/television/programs/we-the-people/wethepeople/95-7574ae63-989e-44b1-b9e1-45a26c790f02.
To learn more about Kent State’s School of Peace and Conflict Studies, visit www.kent.edu/spcs.