A social movement is a collective effort to implement a significant change in the wider societal structure and culture. Such movements are typically organized around shared values and common goals, and employ a range of tactics, from grassroots mobilization to public protests, to civil disobedience as a means to bring about social change. They reflect common grievances, mobilize cooperative effort, and generally seek to draw attention to what is considered a socially important issue. To be successful, social movements must operate on an inclusive, nonlinear framework, that enables diverse participants with different backgrounds, identities and values to come together in an act of collective action.

See also: social change, indigenous movements, native people, mother earth, brave earth