Social movements

Social movement

An informal collective movement of people that is loosely correlated in their actions and uses flexible tactics. It has some sort of leadership group and it gives its actions coherence.

What are the essential componenets of social movements

Mobilized network of groups and organizations; Sense of collective identity; Bringing about or resisting social change; Mainly using public and collective protest

Social movements in autocracies

Less scope for activity; regime change (and perhaps obtaining public office) may be the ultimate goal

Social movements in democracies

Availability of other channels can reduce their need; typically about influencing policy

Examples of social movements

Worker’s movement; women’s movement; environmental movement, far-right movements

What are some of the functions of social movements?

Indicating problems, challenging elites, demanding structural/institutional reform, promoting new ideas or gradual change

What are the explanations of the formation and success of social movements?

Political opportunity structure (enabling and restricting conditions), resource mobilization (“movement entrepreneurs” collect and utilize resources), communication (framing)

Social movements and their relationship with other (collective actors)

Challenge their state/opponents/bystanders and some may benefit from transnationalization

What are the possible explanations of their growing importance

Decline of conventional modes of political representation; more educated citizens; rise of post-material values; revolution in electronic communication and social media (organizational advantages + polarization and filter bubbles)

What are the strengths and weaknesses of social movements?

Loose organization (does it provide flexibility or reflect weakness?); disrupting vs rebuilding?; opposing vs problem-solving?; short-term vs long-term?