Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings

The process of individualization and the proliferation of multiple memberships have long undermined the classical model of the “synthesis structures” in which the multiple styles of engagement of activists and militants used to be embedded. Even if they do not mark their demise or the tout court dis...

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Main Authors: Sandro Busso, Michele Garau
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Firenze University Press 2024-12-01
Series:SocietàMutamentoPolitica: Rivista Italiana di Sociologia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/smp/article/view/14741
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author Sandro Busso
Michele Garau
author_facet Sandro Busso
Michele Garau
author_sort Sandro Busso
collection DOAJ
description The process of individualization and the proliferation of multiple memberships have long undermined the classical model of the “synthesis structures” in which the multiple styles of engagement of activists and militants used to be embedded. Even if they do not mark their demise or the tout court disappearance of collective identities, they do impose changes in order to make possible the creation of collective actors (in the most proper sense) capable of embracing an increasing heterogeneity of their members. Within this scenario, the article focuses on how activists who are not resigned to the fact that individualization is an inevitable process attempt to preserve a collective dimension as the core of their political engagement. The need to address loose participation and the presence of multiple affiliations without being able to rely on past solutions implies first bringing the collective into play not as taken for granted, but rather as the stake of strategies that have to be elaborated: not so much a means, but rather increasingly an end of political action.  Besides exploring the strategies put in place to achieve this goal, the article focuses on the difficulty and the fatigue of handling this challenge. Such a fatigue will is defined in terms of «active disaffection», to signify as much the disillusionment that even at a young age seems to unify the trajectories of militancy, as the commitment to find alternative paths toward a goal that is considered imperative.
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spelling doaj-art-c513b04e59bb4a8b91fa99acaa3584622025-08-20T02:15:40ZdeuFirenze University PressSocietàMutamentoPolitica: Rivista Italiana di Sociologia2038-31502024-12-01153018319310.36253/smp-1474113570Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongingsSandro Busso0Michele Garau1Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, University of Turin, ItalyDepartment of Cultures, Politics and Society, University of Turin, ItalyThe process of individualization and the proliferation of multiple memberships have long undermined the classical model of the “synthesis structures” in which the multiple styles of engagement of activists and militants used to be embedded. Even if they do not mark their demise or the tout court disappearance of collective identities, they do impose changes in order to make possible the creation of collective actors (in the most proper sense) capable of embracing an increasing heterogeneity of their members. Within this scenario, the article focuses on how activists who are not resigned to the fact that individualization is an inevitable process attempt to preserve a collective dimension as the core of their political engagement. The need to address loose participation and the presence of multiple affiliations without being able to rely on past solutions implies first bringing the collective into play not as taken for granted, but rather as the stake of strategies that have to be elaborated: not so much a means, but rather increasingly an end of political action.  Besides exploring the strategies put in place to achieve this goal, the article focuses on the difficulty and the fatigue of handling this challenge. Such a fatigue will is defined in terms of «active disaffection», to signify as much the disillusionment that even at a young age seems to unify the trajectories of militancy, as the commitment to find alternative paths toward a goal that is considered imperative.https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/smp/article/view/14741 collective actionindividualizationmultiple belongingsmilitancycollective identity
spellingShingle Sandro Busso
Michele Garau
Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings
SocietàMutamentoPolitica: Rivista Italiana di Sociologia
collective action
individualization
multiple belongings
militancy
collective identity
title Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings
title_full Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings
title_fullStr Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings
title_full_unstemmed Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings
title_short Preserving the collective. Strategies, challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings
title_sort preserving the collective strategies challenges and fatigue in coping with individualization and multiple belongings
topic collective action
individualization
multiple belongings
militancy
collective identity
url https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/smp/article/view/14741
work_keys_str_mv AT sandrobusso preservingthecollectivestrategieschallengesandfatigueincopingwithindividualizationandmultiplebelongings
AT michelegarau preservingthecollectivestrategieschallengesandfatigueincopingwithindividualizationandmultiplebelongings