Theories of Social Movements and Economic Models

These flashcards cover key theories and frameworks related to social movements, economic models, and approaches to poverty.

Resource Mobilization Theory

Emphasizes that social movements require mobilization of resources such as material, human, social-organizational, moral, and political resources to emerge and sustain themselves.

Deprivation Theory

Posits that social movements arise when people feel deprived of goods, services, rights, or opportunities they believe they deserve.

Absolute Deprivation

Focuses on the objective lack of basic needs or resources, such as food and safety.

Relative Deprivation

Focuses on perceived inequality and how individuals feel deprived in comparison to others.

Political Process Theory

Views social movements as political in nature, suggesting they succeed or fail based on the political environment and opportunities.

Revolutionary Social Movements

Aim to tear down the old system and replace it with a completely new one, seeking radical transformation of society.

Reformative Social Movements

Seek specific reforms within the existing system without overthrowing it entirely.

Redemptive Social Movements

Focus on complete personal and spiritual transformation, often through religious means.

Alternative Social Movements

Encourage individuals to make small, positive changes in their lives rather than seeking large-scale societal change.

Stages of Social Movements

The life cycle stages include emergence, coalescence, bureaucratization, and decline.

Dependency Theory

Argues that economic development in poorer countries is inhibited by their dependence on wealthier countries.

Modernization Theory

Describes the process of economic development through various sequential stages, including traditional society, take-off, drive to maturity, and high mass consumption.

Neoliberalism

A economic approach emphasizing deregulation, privatization, and reducing government intervention in markets.

Social Liberalism

Evolved to address inequalities from industrial capitalism, advocating for government intervention to ensure access to social goods.

Economic Sectors

Categories of economic activity, including primary (extraction), secondary (manufacturing), tertiary (services), quaternary (knowledge-based), and quinary (leadership).

Participatory Approach to Poverty

A perspective that seeks to understand poverty from the viewpoint of the poor, emphasizing their experiences.

Capability Approach

Proposed by Amartya Sen, it defines poverty as the lack of opportunities to enjoy valued ways of life.