Citation

Keyes VD, Keyes L. Sociol. Compass 2022; 16(9): e13024.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/soc4.13024

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The social movement-countermovement relationship is most often one of competition. The subject of police reform has become more complex after calls for greater restrictive police policies and the emergence of Blue Lives Matter. This study demonstrates how Blue Lives Matter acts as a countermovement to police reform, frame it in a historical context, explain why it appeals to sympathizers, and illustrate how it interacts with opposing groups and individuals. This study also assesses how Blue Lives Matter operates in direct opposition to Black Lives Matter and efforts for greater police accountability. The central theme of this literature addresses how the Blue Lives Matter Movement addresses competition, criticisms, and attitudes of Blue Lives Matter adherents and detractors in local and national contexts. This study questions if reconciliation between the stated objectives and tactics of the countermovement is possible without a change in police behavior and law enforcement practices. Conflict theories identify social constructionism as a process in social and countermovements.

Language: en

Keywords

African American; collective behavior; culture; identity; psychology; race and ethnicity; social movements and social change; social psychology; sociology; sociology of groups; stratification and inequality