Offline with Jon Favreau Dramatize the Injustice
Oct 2, 2025
In a thought-provoking discussion, Dr. Omar Wasow, a political scientist at UC Berkeley, dives into the dynamics of protests and their impact on public opinion. He explores the balance between expression and persuasion, revealing how civil rights protests in the 1960s reshaped political landscapes. Dr. Wasow shares insights on storytelling as a persuasive tool, the importance of nonviolent strategies, and how today's media environment mirrors the past. His analysis of protests' effectiveness highlights the need for organization in converting viral moments into sustainable change.
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Expression Versus Persuasion
- Movements balance two forces: the urge to express and the need to persuade undecided people.
- Dr. Omar Wasow calls this the contest between expression and persuasion that shapes strategy.
Protests Drive National Attention
- Protest actions predict front-page headlines and shift public attention to civil rights.
- Wasow shows that events like the March on Washington produced large spikes in public concern.
Perception Determines Political Effects
- How protests are perceived (violent vs. nonviolent) strongly determines political effects.
- Violent unrest raised law-and-order concern and shifted swing voters rightward in the late 1960s.
