Social Movements Notes

Social Movements

  • A challenge by the people towards those who hold power.

  • Typically originates from a segment of the population who feel wronged.

  • Involves a variety of activities to demonstrate unity and commitment.

Five Main Components of Social Movements

  • Sustained Challenge: Repeated collective claims.

  • Engage Power Holders: Focus actions on those in power to change elements of society.

  • Act on Behalf of Wrong Populations: Includes conscience constituencies (those who support without direct benefit).

  • Participating in Unauthorized Action: Disrupting daily routines to seek attention outside the political sphere.

  • Act to Demonstrate WUNC: Worthiness, Unity, Numbers, Commitment.

Collective Action Plan

  • Addresses the argument that participation is irrational due to high costs and unguaranteed benefits.

  • Movements fight for public goods despite discomfort.

Trends in Social Movements Participation

  • Different engagement methods with varying risk and cost dimensions.

  • World Value Survey Data indicates various levels of engagement: protesting, signing petitions, boycotting.

  • Protesting seen as most conscientious, boycott as least.

  • Participation has increased since the 1960s.

Explaining Social Movement Participation

  • Ideology: Cognitive availability to participate; religious ideologies can play a role.

  • Resources: Socio-economic status (SES) impacts participation.

  • Biographical Availability: Having the opportunity to convert resources into action, influenced by life changes.

  • Social Ties and Availability: Connections to other activists and adopting an "activist identity" increase engagement.

  • Political Context/Critical Events: Some contexts are more facilitative, such as free spaces.

Consequences of Social Movement Participation

  • Long-term transformative effects, potentially leading to a less stable lifestyle.

  • Maintaining ideology throughout life and remaining politically active.

The Media and Social Movements

  • Frames: Media's ability to selectively present information.

  • Selection and description bias influence how activists and movements are portrayed.

  • Organizational Models: Media acts as gatekeepers, influenced by economics.

Success in Social Movements

  • Depends on realistic goals and acceptance and gaining new advantages.

  • Two markers of successs: acceptance and advantages

  • Valid spokesperson and a cause deemed worthy

  • Changes in laws reflect success

Public Sociology and Using Our Sociological Imaginations

  • Sociologist engagements with the public in explicitly public ways.

  • Stepping into the political sphere to engage with a wider audience.