Manuel Grebenjak

The eight-hour working day, women’s suffrage, rights for minorities and much more: the world as we know it would be unthinkable without social movements. At the same time, the recent history of social movements around the world seems to be one of defeats. From the Arab Spring to Hong Kong’s protests and the climate movement – many of the major movements of recent years and decades have often not only failed to achieve their goals. In many cases, things have actually got worse following major mobilisations. But why is that? And how can progressive social movements in the 21st century successfully struggle for a better future? One key to this could lie in understanding movements as complex ecosystems, in which different organisations and approaches do not merely coexist, but are inextricably interwoven. Ecosystems whose parts can become unstoppable when they really join forces.

About

Manuel Grebenjak is a co-founder of radius, a collective based in Vienna that supports social movements in areas such as communication, campaigning and strategy, and serves on the board of GLOBAL 2000 (Friends of the Earth Austria). He has long been active in the climate movement and related social movements, and has worked for various NGOs in Austria and Catalonia/Spain, as well as at an international level. Manuel studied Communication and Political Science in Vienna and Political Ecology in Barcelona. He is the editor of the book “Tipping Points: Strategies in the Climate Movement Ecosystem” (German language), published in 2024.