Theories of Social Movements

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Social Movements Theories
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On Collective Behavior

• an extrainstitutional group-problem-solving
  behaviour that encompasses an array of collective
  actions, ranging from protest demonstrations, to
  behaviour in disasters, to mass or diffuse
  phenomena such as fads and crazes, to social
  movements and revolutions.
• Social Movements as a variant of Collective
  Behaviour, which differs greatly from other
  forms.

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An Array of Definitions

• Social Movements as collective challenges by
  people with common purposes and solidarity in
  sustained interaction with elites, opponents and
  authorities (Tarrow, 1994).
• A kind of group groups that are large enough
  to continue their existence even if there should
  be a change in the composition of the membership.
  
• a series of contentious performances, displays
  and campaigns by which ordinary people make
  collective claims on others (Tilly, 2004)

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Social Movement Characteristics

• Four characteristics that define social movements
  that scholars from varying theoretical
  backgrounds agree upon
• 1. Informal interaction networks between a
  plurality of individuals,
• groups and/or organizations
• 2. Shared beliefs and solidarity
• 3. Collective action focusing on political and/or
  cultural conflicts
• 4. Use of protest
• - Not to be confused with interest groups,
  pressure groups, individual organizations or
  political parties. (Della Porta 1999 , Heberle,
  1951)

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Stages of Social Movement

• Social movements are cyclical in nature whether
  or not they have achieved their cause, they tend
  to dissolve and perhaps emerge again under new
  leadership or different sociopolitical
  circumstances.

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Theories of Social Movement

• These theories must be seen as approaches, rather
  than schools of thought.
• The theories are not mutually exclusive but
  often overlapping.
• Political Opportunity Theory
• Resource Mobilization Theory
• New Social Movement Theory
• ? The role of identity in collective actions

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Political Opportunity Theory

• A set of formal and informal political
  conditions that may encourage, discourage,
  channel or affect movement activity
• Units of analysis
• - degree of openness of political institutions
  to challengers of status quo
• - degree to which movements have allies within
  political elite- degree to which political
  authorities are willing to use repression towards
  challengers

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Resource Mobilization Theory

• The actors act in a rational way, evaluating
  costs and benefits, under the influence of the
  presence of ressources.
• Movements are part of the normal political
  process.
• It focuses on the measurable impacts of movements
  on political issues and does not emphasise the
  expressive, ideological, identity-shaping aspects
  of social movements.

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New Social Movement Theory

• Developed in Europe as a means to explain the
  Social Movements in the 60s and 70s (feminism,
  environmental and peace issues etc.).
• Emphasis on- cultural nature of social
  movements- group or collective identity
• - values and lifestyles
• All these in addition to developed ideologies.
• characterized by an open, fluid organisation and
  greater attention to social than to economic
  transformations.

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Identity in Social Movement

• Identity the process by which social actors
  recognize themselves and are recognized by
  others actors as part of broader groupings (D.
  Della Porta, 1999).
• The construction of identity as both a
  psychological and a social process.
• Action constitutes identity
• Identity as a social process

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Identity in Social Movement

• Identity as a rational action the criticism of
  Mancur Olsons theory (1963)
• ? it is impossible to determine the costs and
  benefits appropriately
• ? the existence of a collective identity must
  be taken into account
• System of interdependance within
• The other actors
• Social movements often create the
• goods concerning which they mobilize

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Bibliography Davis F. Gerald et. al. Social
Movement and Organization Theory. New York
Cambridge University Press 2006.Della Porta,
Donatello and Diani Mario. Social Movements An
Introduction. Massachussetts Blackwell Publishers
Ltd. 2000. Heberle, Rudolf. Social Movements
An Introduction to Political Sociology. New York
Appelton Century Crofts, Inc. 1951.