a policy of taking direct action to achieve a political or social goal
"The campaign's success was driven by their strategy of activism, which focused on organizing protests and lobbying legislators rather than simply raising awareness."
The practice of using action to achieve a result, such as political demonstration or a strike in support of or in opposition to an issue.
"The local community organized a peaceful march and a work stoppage to protest the new factory regulations."
In plain English: Activism is when people take action to make positive changes for something they care about.
"The students organized an activism campaign to demand better school funding in their community."
Usage: Activism refers specifically to taking direct actions like protests or strikes to influence social or political change, rather than simply holding personal beliefs about those issues. It is often distinguished from general advocacy by its emphasis on organized efforts and public demonstrations aimed at achieving a specific result.
Activism comes from combining the word active with the suffix -ism to denote a state of being or practice. It entered English as a straightforward formation meaning the quality or habit of being active.