By Talia Bank ’23
“I have a better idea of how to make the most impact and I’ve learned a lot about my own views and morals.”
—Ally Mueller ’26
Protest has long been a powerful tool for advocating for change, but how can protest achieve concrete results? A Macalester class is examining this question by exploring what makes protest effective and how activists can apply these best practices. “Protest Hacking: How the New Science of Social Movements Can Empower Activists,” a political science course taught by professor Lisa Mueller, seeks to connect academic findings about protest effectiveness with lived experience, efforts, and objectives of the demonstrators.
Mueller developed the course after observing how the study of activism is often removed from its actual practice. As a scholar of social movements, political and development economy, and empirical research methods, Mueller felt a responsibility to help bridge the gap between theory and action. Inspired by a tradition of student activism at Macalester, she wanted to teach a course that would empower students to make change and provide activists with tools to do the same.
“On my office door, there’s a cover of Time magazine with a protester in the background holding a sign that says, ‘People may not be the ivory tower.’ I walk into my office every day and say : “I am the ivory tower; this is unacceptable,’ especially at Macalester, a very politically engaged campus,” says Mueller. “There can be a disconnect between lessons from the ivory tower and people power, and ultimately I want to take responsibility for connecting them”.
Mueller is currently writing a book aimed at a general audience that will highlight effective ways to participate in social and protest movements. He regards the book as a guide for both activists and those interested in activism.
“I’m bringing intellectual knowledge that doesn’t replace experiential knowledge, so I want to have that reciprocal conversation and bridge the ivory tower with the people power,” Mueller says. “I designed this class as an incubator for the book, but also as a class that I hoped would attract student activists and curious students.”
For students like Ally Mueller ’26 (Champlin, Minnesota), the course serves to inform their activism and provide a foundation for effective participation in social movements.
“I did some activism in high school, but I was never very active. I thought the class would help me get more into activism and learn how to do it better,” says Ally Mueller. “It’s a lot more philosophical than I expected. We’re not just talking about protest strategies, but the ethics of using them. I feel like I have a better idea of how to make the most impact, and I’ve learned a lot about my own views and morals.”
For those interested in the empirical underpinnings of effective protest, the course also provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research.
“I’m very interested in empirical research in the social sciences and how we can quantify social problems and behaviors. That’s something you get a lot of in this class,” says Ellie Spangler ’26 (St. Louis). “It’s also interesting to see the kind of work scholars are doing to determine what is actionable and effective in political protests . The issue is very nuanced because effectiveness in activism looks different for everyone.”
In keeping with the course’s goal of connecting the study and practice of activism, the semester will culminate in the creation of a collaborative website highlighting cutting-edge lessons about effective protest. The result of a partnership with Macalester’s Digital Liberal Arts [DLA] initiative, the website will include a comment mechanism for users to comment, and perhaps spark dialogue between academia and activism.
“I think the website is a great idea to help bring activists and scholars together,” says Ally Mueller. “There are a lot of people in the class who are both.”
