Strategies and Tactics Employed in Social Action
Introduction
Social action is the process of ‘confrontation’. It is used when other methods of social work like
group work and community organisation fail to meet the needs of the clientele group. When the
resources are in the hands of a few people and they dictate their own terms and conditions, when
power equation is imbalanced and rights are denied to a particular section of the community, social
action comes into play. It aims at equitable distribution of resources and power among different
stakeholders. Professional social work, for long, has relied on primary methods (casework, group
work and community organisation) for providing remedies to human problems. However, in the
sixties of the preceding century, there was growing realization about human environmental situation
as an integrated whole. It required holistic approach and more dependence on the primary methods
of social work was being questioned. Social institutions and social structure were found inadequate
to meet the needs of individuals and groups. Therefore, the relevance of social action is being
increasingly felt. Social action is used for mobilizing masses to bring about structural changes in the
social system. It is an organised effort to change or improve social and economic institutions. It
encompasses movements of political reform, industrial democracy, social legislation and social
justice. Social action, like any other method of social work, uses certain strategies and employs
certain tactics during its process to bring about the desired results.
What are these strategies and tactics?
Strategies and Tactics in Social Action
The dictionary meaning of strategy is plan/policy/ approach/stratagem. Tactic means
method/approach/ course/ploy/policy/device/scheme/way/trick/ manoeuvre. As indicated by the
definitions of the two words, we understand that, like many social workers do, they can be used
interchangeably. However, some social workers have made finer distinction between strategy and
tactic, as the former is a larger term equivalent to a form or type of social action. Strategies and
tactics in social action means to organise strike, boycott, persuade, negotiate, bargain, etc. Let us
take a look at how various strategies and tactics are used in the process of social action. For better
understanding of the strategies and tactics employed in social action, attention should first be paid
to the process of social action. Social action, many times, is considered an extension of community
organisation. It necessarily involves the skills and stages of casework, group work and community
organisation. The process of social action involves the following. First stage is Developing Awareness.
It is the study of the social problem, its gravity, causes, impact on people, etc. It involves
understanding the socio-cultural milieu of the community and the pressing social problem affecting
the well-being of a section of orthe whole community. It also includes making people aware of the
causes responsible for social problems. The next stage would be Organisation. It includes sharing the
study results with the people concerned. The leaders of various groups and local leaders of the
community are called for taking an integrated action. Awareness is created especially by using the
means of mass communication. It is followed by efforts to mobilize people to organise for the given
cause. Next stage is Making Strategies. Goals are set on the basis of felt needs and strategies are
developed to achieve them. The strategies could be negotiated with the authorities or if the need
arises, there could be direct confrontation. The last stage is Action in which implementation of the
proposed intervention is done. This stage is more methodical and concrete as the final outcome
largely depends on action. Cohen also suggests similar stages in his definition of methods of social
action. “The methods of social action consist of research, planning, enlistment of public support and
Introduction
Social action is the process of ‘confrontation’. It is used when other methods of social work like
group work and community organisation fail to meet the needs of the clientele group. When the
resources are in the hands of a few people and they dictate their own terms and conditions, when
power equation is imbalanced and rights are denied to a particular section of the community, social
action comes into play. It aims at equitable distribution of resources and power among different
stakeholders. Professional social work, for long, has relied on primary methods (casework, group
work and community organisation) for providing remedies to human problems. However, in the
sixties of the preceding century, there was growing realization about human environmental situation
as an integrated whole. It required holistic approach and more dependence on the primary methods
of social work was being questioned. Social institutions and social structure were found inadequate
to meet the needs of individuals and groups. Therefore, the relevance of social action is being
increasingly felt. Social action is used for mobilizing masses to bring about structural changes in the
social system. It is an organised effort to change or improve social and economic institutions. It
encompasses movements of political reform, industrial democracy, social legislation and social
justice. Social action, like any other method of social work, uses certain strategies and employs
certain tactics during its process to bring about the desired results.
What are these strategies and tactics?
Strategies and Tactics in Social Action
The dictionary meaning of strategy is plan/policy/ approach/stratagem. Tactic means
method/approach/ course/ploy/policy/device/scheme/way/trick/ manoeuvre. As indicated by the
definitions of the two words, we understand that, like many social workers do, they can be used
interchangeably. However, some social workers have made finer distinction between strategy and
tactic, as the former is a larger term equivalent to a form or type of social action. Strategies and
tactics in social action means to organise strike, boycott, persuade, negotiate, bargain, etc. Let us
take a look at how various strategies and tactics are used in the process of social action. For better
understanding of the strategies and tactics employed in social action, attention should first be paid
to the process of social action. Social action, many times, is considered an extension of community
organisation. It necessarily involves the skills and stages of casework, group work and community
organisation. The process of social action involves the following. First stage is Developing Awareness.
It is the study of the social problem, its gravity, causes, impact on people, etc. It involves
understanding the socio-cultural milieu of the community and the pressing social problem affecting
the well-being of a section of orthe whole community. It also includes making people aware of the
causes responsible for social problems. The next stage would be Organisation. It includes sharing the
study results with the people concerned. The leaders of various groups and local leaders of the
community are called for taking an integrated action. Awareness is created especially by using the
means of mass communication. It is followed by efforts to mobilize people to organise for the given
cause. Next stage is Making Strategies. Goals are set on the basis of felt needs and strategies are
developed to achieve them. The strategies could be negotiated with the authorities or if the need
arises, there could be direct confrontation. The last stage is Action in which implementation of the
proposed intervention is done. This stage is more methodical and concrete as the final outcome
largely depends on action. Cohen also suggests similar stages in his definition of methods of social
action. “The methods of social action consist of research, planning, enlistment of public support and
