Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

For months, politicians, media pundits, and ordinary citizens have watched the Occupy Wall Street protesters grow in numbers throughout the United States and elsewhere, including Canada. In this part of the country, Occupy protesters have made camp in several cities, including Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary, eliciting both support and condemnation from public officials and citizens. But how might we understand the Occupy phenomenon? Is it a genuine movement, in the sense of past movements, or just a passing phase? What are its roots? While the Occupy protesters have targeted Wall Street (and capitalism in general), are there other, broader currents at work? Is there a connection, for example, between the alleged “Arab Spring” protests that began a year ago in the Middle East and the Occupy protesters? Who are the occupiers? Do its members have a coherent message, or is the group made up of largely individualized grievances? What has been the response of authorities? And what is its future? (Does it have a