Social Media and Grassroots Rebellion Among Norwegian Teacher Union Members

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 73
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Knowledge, Teacher Labor, and Teacher Resistance in Neoliberal Times

Abstract

The advent of social media which may reinforce mass mobilisation and grass-roots rebellion by communication. This happened in a teacher strike in Norway: union grass roots win in all respects in a heavy-weight and demanding tug-of-war with the employers. The force of social media and newspapers in evoking public sympathy for teacher unions in Norway was an important explanatory factor. The purpose of this study is to contribute to an improved understanding of the structure of interaction and influence of social media mobilization in negotiations regarding working hours can be of significance for the distribution of power between the teacher unions and their employer counterparts. Game theory is used as theoretical lens.

Author

• Eyvind Elstad, University of Oslo