{"id":689,"date":"2017-09-13T16:44:06","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T20:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/align\/?p=689"},"modified":"2025-07-25T11:27:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T15:27:44","slug":"democracy-spring-the-rise-of-politically-incorrect-nomenclature-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/align\/2017\/democracy-spring-the-rise-of-politically-incorrect-nomenclature-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Democracy spring: The rise of politically incorrect nomenclature (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Democracy spring: The rise of politically incorrect nomenclature (Part 2)\n <\/h1>\n \n \n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
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Part 1<\/a> of this blog post discussed some of the issues concerning how social movements are named. Catchy titles such as Arab Spring, the Umbrella Revolution, and the Fishball Revolution are part of journalistic practices that grab readers\u2019 attention. However, these names also frame a movement through the development of its name. These names are<\/em> more important than just grabbing viewer attention because these names actually frame<\/em> the movement itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If I were to write a journal article on the Arab Spring but fail to use the term \u201cArab Spring\u201d, my work would lack credibility \u2013 and\/or \u2013 readers may not understand the event or topic I am discussing. This supports Gamson\u2019s (1992)<\/a> claim that once a frame is encoded into a term and becomes widely accepted, it becomes difficult to separate the two. We must refer to the series of movements in the MENA region as the Arab Spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When I saw headlines emerging on the \u201cDemocracy Spring\u201d movement, I felt a sense of discomfort. It was hard to pinpoint where that feeling was coming from. Democracy Spring has no ties with the Arab Spring movement. While Arab Spring was a term derived from Western media, \u201cDemocracy Spring\u201d was coined by the organizers of the movement itself. The movement aims to maintain and strengthen democracy in America to protest the \u201cmost billionaire-dominated, secret money-drenched, voter suppression-marred contest in modern American history<\/a>\u201d. How are they protesting? \u2013 Through a 10 day, 140-mile march from Philadelphia to Washington DC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While I understand that at the core of Democracy Spring is the message that the current democratic process in America is not very democratic, the labelling of this movement as Democracy Spring<\/em> has questionable associations to the more radical movements from the MENA region. Perhaps I\u2019m not comfortable with its attempt to piggyback off of the success of buzzwords associated to Arab Spring. Perhaps I\u2019m not comfortable with the idea that the Arab Spring is a term fit for the \u201cArab\u201d region, while in the United States it is simply about Democracy \u2013 why isn\u2019t it called the American Springs? Is this just another form of orientalism?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But what was your reaction to the Democracy Spring? Am I simply overthinking and making something out of nothing? I\u2019d love to hear your thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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