Framing, friction, and the continuity of social movements : the case of the ambonese peace movement in Indonesia

Abstract

Social movements have brought change to various aspects of the society across the globe. Previous studies have focused on their rise and fall but not their continuity and change. This study investigates through the lens of the framing approach why and how a movement manages to continue. It is based on extensive interviews from 2015 to 2017 with 54 peace movement actors in Ambon, Indonesia, in which civil religious battles had left a community divided. Textual and social media data were also studied. The study found that the social movements’ actors’ ability to construct a new frame and reconcile friction among themselves was pivotal to reduce conflict, bring peace and sustain the movement. The finding suggests that framing is critical to continue a movement after it achieves its immediate goal and when political opportunities and resources are limited. This finding thus extends existing theory, first in proposing that frames may be dynamic not merely static and second in going beyond studies that have situated frames only when movements rise and peak to look at how frames operate to enable movements to continue.