-----------------------reply-------------------------------------------------

get off your empiricist horse and jump on the
barricade, Roy: science is a social product,
haven't you heard?

All best for 2003, Alex

On Tue, 31 Dec 2002 04:07:00 -0800 (PST) Roy
Carr-Hill <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>
> Dear Alex
> I'd love to believe it but I have a horrible
feeling that the result is mostly due to the
collective as distinct from individual nature of
the experience; and collective experiences are in
short supply these days in England - perhaps
especially in the South-East ... > Happy Hogmany
> Roy Carr-Hill >  alex scott-samuel
<[log in to unmask]>
wrote:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20021223/hl_nm/protests_demonstrations_dc
>
> Mon Dec 23,11:02 AM ET > > LONDON (Reuters
Health) - Taking part in protests > and
demonstrations can be good for your physical >
and mental health, a new British study suggests.
> > Psychologists at the University of Sussex
found > that people who get involved in
campaigns, > strikes and political demonstrations
experience an > improvement in psychological
well-being that can > help them overcome stress,
pain, anxiety and > depression. > > The finding
fits in with other studies suggesting > that
positive experiences and feeling part of a >
group can have beneficial effects on health. > >
"Collective actions, such as protests, strikes, >
occupations and demonstrations, are less common >
in the UK than they were perhaps 20 years ago," >
researcher Dr. John Drury said in a statement. >
> "The take-home message from this research >
therefore might be that people should get more >
involved in campaigns, struggles and social >
movements, not only in the wider interest of >
social change but also for their own personal >
good." > > The results emerged from in-depth
interviews with > nearly 40 activists from a
variety of > backgrounds. Between them, they had
more than 160 > experiences of collective action
involving groups > of demonstrators protesting
against a range of > issues. These included
fox-hunting, environmental > damage and
industrial matters. > > Volunteers were asked to
describe what it was > about taking part in such
collective action that > made them feel so good.
> > "Many published activist accounts refer to >
feelings of encouragement and confidence emerging
> from experiences of collective action," said >
Drury. "But it is not always clear how and why >
such empowerment occurs, so we aimed to explain >
what factors within a collective action event >
contribute to such feelings." > > He said the
interviews revealed that the key > factors were
that participants felt they had a > collective
identity with fellow protestors. They > also
derived a sense of unity and mutual support >
from taking part. > > Such was the strength of
the feelings they > experienced that the effects
appear to be > sustained over a period of time. >
> "Empowering events were almost without
exception > described as joyous occasions," said
Drury. > "Participants experienced a deep sense >
of happiness and even euphoria in being involved
> in protest events. Simply recounting the events
> in the interview brought a smile to the face of
> the interviewees." > > >
--------------------------------- > Do you
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******************************************************************
Alex Scott-Samuel
EQUAL (Equity in Health Research and Development
Unit) Department of Public Health
University of Liverpool Whelan Building
Quadrangle Liverpool
L69 3GB Tel  (+44)151-794-5569
Fax  (+44)151-794-5588 e-mail
[log in to unmask]
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