Assignment task:
Find an example of advocacy and an example of lobbying that you feel is not as clear as it could be.
Discuss why you feel that way and what would make it a better example.
Do you want support for the response from the literature or other sources or just opinion?
Although they are often used interchangeably, advocacy and lobbying are actually quite different. Pushing for a cause, thought, or group of people is what advocacy means. It includes letting people know about problems, educating them, and doing things that try to change people's minds and the rules that govern them. Lobbying, on the other hand, is all about getting lawmakers and policymakers to back a certain cause or piece of legislation.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a prominent advocacy group that fights for people's freedoms and rights. In their paper titled "Smart Justice 50-State Blueprints," the authors offer extensive data and suggestions for promoting criminal justice reform in all 50 states (ACLU, n.d.).
Conversely, instances of lobbying are illustrated in the article "Lobbying for Good," which examines a number of sizable corporations that effectively employ lobbying strategies. For instance, six Mary Kay independent national sales directors approached the United States Capitol in pink Cadillacs on June 15, 2005. Legislators were hearing from the women regarding the significance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act as Congress deliberated on the matter (Peterson, K. and Pfitzer, M., 2009).