Miguel Alvelo Rivera | University of Illinois at Chicago (original) (raw)

Research by Miguel Alvelo Rivera

Environmentalism is a social movement of global significance. It is imperative that the various s... more Environmentalism is a social movement of global significance. It is imperative that the various strands of environmental activism be studied in detail to gain a better understanding of the plethora of organizations that lead communities to collaborate with each other to create social change. Various scholars who have examined the environmental movement have ignored the significance of the contribution made by the Puerto Rican environmental movement (Kline 2007; Gottlieb 1993; Harper & Rajan 2004). One of the oldest ecologically based movements in Latin America, the Puerto Rican environmental movement has a continuous history dating back to the mid-nineteen sixties. Its tactics, ideology, and organization are influenced by a political and cultural nationalist-based ideology (Concepción 1995; García 1984; Del-Valle 1995). This paper examines how the Puerto Rican nationalist/pro-independence movement influenced the tactics, ideology, and organization of the environmental movement using Meyer and Whittier’s (1994) social movement spillover theory.
Originally conceived and developed by Meyer and Whittier (1994), social movement spillover examines how movements affect each other via several means of direct and indirect interaction and collaboration. Using qualitative research methods of content analysis, it was found that the Puerto Rican nationalist/pro-independence movement and the environmental movement experience a considerable degree of spillover, especially in the category related to changes in the external environment achieved by one movement that influence subsequent movements. Finally, the importance of the Puerto Rican environmental movement and the effectiveness of Social Movement Spillover theory are addressed. The spillover effect theory holds true in the Puerto Rican environmental movement and it has done so throughout the movement’s evolution.

Papers by Miguel Alvelo Rivera

Social movements are agents of change in society. Scholars have generally agreed that social move... more Social movements are agents of change in society. Scholars have generally agreed that social movements can be defined as a collective, organized, sustained, non-institutionalized challenge to power holders, belief-systems, practices, and/or authorities (Goodwin and Jasper 2003). However, there is an ongoing debate regarding what determines movement success. Some researchers view success largely the result of a movement’s ability to gather the necessary resources (money, supporters, activists, etc.) to generate the pressure needed to achieve their goals. Others argue that movement success is traceable primarily to the political opportunities that arise in the course of a movement’s development. Still, others assert that what truly determines a movement’s capacity to achieve its goals is its ability to use tactical innovation to outmaneuver its opponents even when opportunities and resources are scarce. This study seeks to further the understanding of movement success theory with a ca...

A Commentary/research piece regarding media portrayals of Chicago's working class black and brown... more A Commentary/research piece regarding media portrayals of Chicago's working class black and brown communities.

Drafts by Miguel Alvelo Rivera

(Publicado originalmente en: http://tinyurl.com/yotampocomequito) La campaña #yonomequito culpa ... more (Publicado originalmente en: http://tinyurl.com/yotampocomequito)
La campaña #yonomequito culpa injustamente a más de 6 millones de Puertorriqueñxs que han tenido, han decidido, o se han visto forzadxs a emigrar a otros países. La misma es un esfuerzo clasista y conformista que se apropia de moralismos que excluyen a una población que tiene el mismo derecho de influir en el futuro de nuestra nación como los que están en la isla. Para explicar bien estos argumentos les presento un relato personal junto a una crítica política--ya que entiendo que lo personal se relata a lo político y viceversa.