Activism

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Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. This action is in support of, or opposition to, one side of an often controversial argument.

The word "activism" is often used synonymously with protest or dissent, but activism can stem from any number of political orientations and take a wide range of forms, from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, simply shopping ethically, rallies and street marches, direct action, or even guerrilla tactics. In the more confrontational cases, an activist may be called a freedom fighter by some, and a terrorist by others, depending on which side of the political fence is making the observation.

In some cases, activism has nothing to do with protest or dissent: for instance, some environmentalists do not wish to confront organizations that harm the environment; instead, they seek to educate people about the practical matters at hand, such that an increased awareness of the issues might induce a change (for instance, educating children about small efforts they can make to help the environment).

Since the 2004 elections and controversy over gay marriage in the United States, "activist" has often been used as a pejorative for those who seek to redress social ills through legal rather than legislative action. Thus many conservative politicians have sought to curb the power of those deemed "activist judges" whom they claim are acting outside traditional boundaries of judicial review [1]. Some liberals contend that judicial activism is a long-standing US legal tradition, while others have responded that judicial activism is more prevalent among judges deemed conservative [2].