Afghanistan were portrayed in the media as “freedom fighters,” but in 2001, when
they were resisting the United States, they were portrayed as terrorists.Everyday Politics
Most political activity does not occur in political caucuses and voting booths, through
large-scale social movements, or even through the violence of war, terrorism, and rev-
olution. Politics happens in everyday situations that have nothing to do with candidates.Being Political: Social Change
In 1969, Carol Hanish wrote an article for the book Feminist Revolution(1969/1979)
titled “The Personal Is Political,” arguing that even the most intimate, personal actions
make a political statement: “Personal problems are political problems,” she con-
cluded. Or, to put it another way, every problem is a political problem. For example,
in the area of social inequality, you are making a political statement when:
■Someone makes a racist, sexist, or homophobic comment, and you agree, dis-
agree, or stay silent.
■You make a friend who belongs to a different race, gender, or sexual orientation,
or who doesn’t.
■Your new doctor belongs to a different race, gender, or sexual orientation, and
it bothers you, or it doesn’t bother you, or you don’t notice.
■You worry about whether to use the term BlackorAfrican American, Hispanic
orLatino, gayorhomosexual,and when you don’t worry about it.
■A company exploits the workers in its foreign factories, but you buy its products
anyway, or refuse to buy its products, or don’t know about it.In short, you are “being political” all the time.
Everyday politics is not a replacement for organized political groups. In fact, the
two complement each other. Small, seemingly inconsequential everyday acts have a
cumulative impact, creating grassroots support for the legislative changes for which
political groups lobby. These acts also express political identity, enhance solidarity,
and promote social change (Scott, 1987).
Frequently, groups with little formal power still attempt to resist what they per-
ceive as illegitimate or dictatorial authority. How can they demonstrate their resis-
tance when they have so little power and could risk so much by doing so? Everyday
resistance can be found in symbolic and cultural expressions: what language you
speak, what music you listen to, how you raise your children, or what holidays you
celebrate. For example, when Estonia was under Soviet occupation in the 1980s, cit-
izens would pretend they spoke only Estonian or put signs on hotels in Russian that
said “No Vacancy” (Suny, 1985). In France and Spain, schools in Brittany, Catalonia,
or the Basque country schools often teach subjects in the local language rather than
French or Spanish, to preserve local traditions.Civil Society: Declining, Increasing, or Dynamic?
In the best-selling book, Bowling Alone(2000) political scientist Robert Putnam looked
atcivil society—that is, the clubs, churches, fraternal organizations, civic organizations,
and other groups that once formed a third “zone” between home and work.480 CHAPTER 14POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT