Social Movements and Social Change Notes
21.1. Collective Behaviour
Collective Behaviour Defined: Non-institutionalized activity involving multiple individuals acting together, often spontaneously, in response to a particular situation or shared interest. Collective behaviour can be an essential aspect of societal dynamics as it allows groups to express collective sentiments and initiate social change.
Forms of Collective Behaviour:
Crowds: Groups of people in close proximity, typically characterized by their interaction (or lack thereof) and purpose. Types include:
Casual Crowds: Limited interaction, often temporary gatherings (e.g., people at a bus stop, shopping malls).
Conventional Crowds: Gather for scheduled events meant to foster a specific experience or result (e.g., concerts, religious services, festivals).
Expressive Crowds: Gather primarily for emotional expression and communal experiences (e.g., funerals, celebrations, protests).
Acting Crowds: Groups focused on achieving specific goals or actions, often linked to social or political movements (e.g., protests, activist demonstrations).
Mass: Large groups that are dispersed across a geographic area but share a common interest or concern, often facilitated by media (e.g., television audiences, social media followers).
Public: Generally unorganized groups with shared ideas or concerns on specific issues, potentially influencing public policy or social norms (e.g., social conservatives, environmental activists).
Theoretical Perspectives on Collective Behaviour:
Emergent Norm Perspective: Suggests that individuals within a crowd develop unique norms which may shift based on the dynamics and interactions present during the collective activity. For example, the looting observed after Hurricane Katrina was interpreted by some participants not as criminal behavior but as a survival tactic influenced by the chaotic environment.
Value-Added Theory (Neil Smelser): Proposes several conditions necessary for collective behaviour to occur, including:
Structural Conduciveness: Social structures in place that allow for collective action (e.g., social networks).
Structural Strain: A perceived discrepancy between societal expectations and actual conditions (e.g., economic inequality).
Generalized Belief Formation: Shared perceptions about the causes and solutions to the strain present in society.
Precipitating Factors: Sudden events that trigger collective responses (e.g., natural disasters, political unrest).
Mobilization for Action: The organization of individuals around shared goals or beliefs.
Action by Social Control Agents: The responses from authorities, which can either suppress or encourage collective activities.
Assembling Perspective (Clark McPhail): Emphasizes the rational agency of individuals as they plan and engage in collective action, viewing crowds not merely as spontaneous gatherings but as strategic assemblies where individuals choose to participate in organized actions.
21.2. Social Movements
Definition: Purposeful, organized groups working systematically toward a specific social goal, which may involve advocating for change, resisting existing conditions, or developing a political voice to influence legislation and public opinion.
Levels of Social Movements:
Local: Focused efforts aimed at specific community issues (e.g., Winnipeg Boldness Project addressing poverty in childhood education through innovative local programs).
Regional: Movements aimed at addressing concerns within a specific geographic area, such as right-wing separatist movements in Western Canada during the 1980s seeking political autonomy.
National: Nationwide efforts advocating for significant changes, exemplified by movements like Idle No More, which addressed aboriginal rights and legislative reform following the controversial C-45 bill.
Global: Movements operating across national boundaries addressing worldwide issues, such as the Slow Food movement, which promotes food quality, sustainability, and local agricultural practices.
Types of Social Movements:
Reform Movements: Target specific avenues for change within an existing societal framework (e.g., anti-nuclear movements, environmental advocacy).
Revolutionary Movements: Seek substantive changes to societal structures and institutions (e.g., the Cuban Revolution aimed at complete systemic overhaul).
Redemptive Movements: Focus on personal transformation and empowerment (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous providing recovery support).
Alternative Movements: Encourage moderate lifestyle changes to improve individual well-being (e.g., Slow Food promoting conscious eating).
Resistance Movements: Aim to protect or restore traditional social structures (e.g., pro-life movements defending pre-existing cultural values).
Stages of Social Movements:
Preliminary Stage: Awareness of issues and emergence of potential leaders advocating for a cause.
Coalescence Stage: Initial organizations form, publicizing key issues and building coalitions.
Institutionalization Stage: Movements become established organizations with formal structures, paid staff, and clear goals.
Decline Stage: Movements may experience waning activity or dissolve due to various factors including burnout, cooptation by larger organizations, or achieving goals.
Impact of Social Media:
Social media has transformed social movements by facilitating rapid awareness (preliminary stage) and organizational efficiency (coalescence stage). However, some critics argue that while social media can amplify voices, it may also encourage lower-risk forms of participation, diluting the intensity of genuine activism.
21.3. Social Change
Causes of Social Change: Significant transformations in society are often influenced by a variety of factors, such as:
Technology: Acts as a primary driver of social change impacting globalization, communication, and interactions. Examples include the internet revolutionizing information access, and medical advances extending life expectancy, along with automation disrupting traditional labor markets.
Social Institutions: The interconnectedness of social institutions means that changes in one area (e.g., shifts in family structure or educational reforms) can have ripple effects throughout society, altering social dynamics and expectations.
Population Factors: Demographic changes, such as aging populations or migratory movements, can lead to shifts in social demand and influence public policy.
Environmental Factors: Human interactions with the environment can provoke social movements advocating for ecological preservation, and led legislative changes focused on sustainability and environmental safety.
Modernization:
The process of modernization involves increasing specialization, complexity, and differentiation within societies as they progress technologically. This has significant implications for social organization and cultural dynamics. However, there is ongoing critique asserting that peripheral countries should not blindly emulate core nations, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity and understanding in globalization initiatives.
Key Terms
Collective Behaviour
Social Movements
Resource Mobilization Theory
Framing Theory
New Social Movement Theory
Digital Divide
Emergent Norm Theory
Value-Added Theory
Assembling Perspective
Modernization