Final answer:
Grassroots movements mobilize local-level participation to affect change, while astroturfing creates artificial grassroots campaigns. Prominent examples include the Tea Party movement, Governor Newsom's recall initiative, and Extinction Rebellion's climate activism. Stages of social movements and the range of their causes, from revolutionary to resistance, illustrate their diversity and impact on society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Grassroots movements and interest groups play vital roles in civic engagement and political activisim. A grassroots movement is a type of social organization which mobilizes individuals on a local, national or global level, often beginning from the bottom up among small groups. These movements can create substantial change by amplifying individual voices through collective action. Astroturfing, on the other hand, mimics grassroots campaigning but is initiated by organizations or wealthy sponsors, as seen in the Tea Party movement, which received support from elite sponsors like the Koch brothers through FreedomWorks.
Examples of grassroots movements include the attempts to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom and the protests of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7 against nuclear weaponry. Extinction Rebellion also exemplifies radical grassroots activism with their extreme measures to bring attention to climate issues. Interest groups utilize tactics such as outside lobbying to gather public support and pressure political actors.
Forms of social movements range from revolutionary, aiming for a complete societal overhaul, to reformative, seeking specific social structure changes. Resistance movements aim to prevent or undo changes. Each movement goes through stages: preliminary, coalescence, institutionalization, and decline. Participation in these movements can occur through various ways such as organizing events, volunteering, or using social media to influence public opinion.