One voice or multi-issue movement? Exploring the role of bonding and bridging social capital within the COVID-19 antivax movement

• Published in: Public relations review Vol. 49; no. 2; p. 102316
• Main Authors: Wolf, Katharina, Theunissen, Petra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.06.2023
• Subjects: Activism; Bonding social capital; Bridging social capital; Multi-issue; Social capital; Social movement; Activism; Bridging social capital; Multi-issue; Social movement; Bonding social capital; Social capital
• ISSN: 0363-8111; 1873-4537
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2023.102316

Activism represents a prominent and growing body of knowledge in public relations scholarship and practice. Most of the extant studies focus on progressive and prosocial activism, understanding activism as a form of communication that aims to further social justice and equality. However, arguably, activism is a polylithic concept and not all movements are progressive in nature or seek to further issues in a given society’s best interest. One such example is the so-called antivax protest movement that emerged in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast to its depiction as a large, single-issue protest movement, the authors highlight it as a movement that brings together multiple issues, agendas, and worldviews. Drawing on Putnam’s notions of bridging and bonding social capital, the authors argue that a movement’s lack of ability to convert bridging into bonding social capital limits its longevity and impact. They suggest that public relations professionals need to avoid the temptation to apply convenient umbrella labels to multi-issue movements, emphasising the need to adopt a critical awareness of a movement’s underlying issues and motivators, which may be varied, to develop nuanced and effective messaging. •The COVID-19 antivax movement is a multi-issue movement, which has been uncritically presented as a single-issue group•Activism is a polylithic concept deserving further critical attention beyond the extant focus on progressive movements•Bridging social capital may temporarily increase the impact, reach, and visibility of a social movement or activist group•A single-issue focus can strengthen bonding social capital, enhancing a social movement’s potential longevity and impact•Multi-issue responses require active listening and consideration of different types of social capital & diverse objectives