Citizenship, Information, and Communication in Social Movements and Countermovements

This study addresses the central role of communication in the construction and contestation of citizenship rights, highlighting its relevance to social transformations in the contemporary world through the actions of social movements and countermovements. Based on the methodological procedures prescribed in the Systematic Literature Review, this study examines the importance of social movements for social participation, the exercise of citizenship, and the maintenance of democracy, with its theoretical framework emphasizing the significance of information and communication in this context. The results of this study suggest that social movements are political actors active in the public sphere who, even without engaging with all sectors of society or political power, are legitimate carriers of the specific demands of social groups. The dispute between social movements and countermovements, although often marked by profound antagonisms, is essential to the vitality of democracy, as it creates space for diverse perspectives and encourages citizen engagement in matters of collective interest. The presence of different groups in civil society, including countermovements, is evidence of the diversity of ideas and opinions, and it is essential that there be space for dialogue and negotiation among them in order to build a more just and democratic society.