Social Movements
Suggested sources:
1. Social Movement. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
2. Social Movement Theories. Professor E. Wilma van der Veen,
University of Alaska,
http://husky1.stmarys.ca/~evanderveen/wvdv/social_change/social_m
ovement_theories.htm
Social Movement: Description
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A social movement is a type of group action focused on
bringing about social change.
Social movements are a series of contentious
performances, displays and campaigns, by which ordinary
people make collective claims on others (C. Tilly).
Social movements typically are thought of as long-lasting
events that attract many participants with common goals
for changing a specific structure of society.
Social movements typically attract persons with different
objectives for creating change, varying from peaceful
demonstrations to violent confrontations.
Social movements typically have many sub-groups with
somewhat different visions of structural change.
Social Movement: Scope
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Reform movements
Movements dedicated to changing some norms, usually
legal ones.
 Legal strikes by union workers for better pay and
benefits.
 Green movement advocating stricter environmental
laws.
 Appeals for societal restrictions on smoking, alcohol
abuse, pornography.
 Appeals for repeal of Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court
decision, permitting abortion.
 Appeals for enforcement of existing laws (e.g.,
deportation of illegal workers).
 Appeals for new laws (e.g., same-sex marriages).
Social Movement: Scope
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Radical movements
Movements dedicated to changing value systems.
Appeals to make fundamental changes.
 American Civil Rights movement.
 Polish Solidarity movement.
 Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa.
Social Movement: Functionalist Theories
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The Adaptive Perspective
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Movements arise in response to widely-recognized
need for change in the structure of society.
Movements seek to improve the functioning of society
to respond to changes in the external environment.
Citizens share a sense of anxiety and frustration over
existing institutions.
Citizens are mainly united in defining goals for a new
structure to society.
Movements are functional in changing institutions to
meet challenges of a new environment, training new
leaders, and engendering social cohesion.
Movements are dysfunctional in creating transitional
disruption in existing institutions and temporarily
displacing individuals from existing roles.
Social Movement: Functionalist Theories
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Value-Added Theory
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Emphasizes ongoing interaction between social
movements and society. That is, it is less “reaction to
changing environment” and more “constant changes
to society as the environment changes.”
Six essential conditions needed for change.
1. Structural conduciveness: Societal institutions and
leaders are open to change and new ideas.
2. Structural strains: Recognition of strain in
institutions and the need for change.
3. Development of a generalized belief system
regarding needed change and viable alternatives.
4. Precipitating events. Triggering events to
mobilize already existing felt need for change.
Social Movement: Functionalist Theories
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Value-Added Theory
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Six essential conditions needed for change.
5. Mobilization of participants for change. This
mobilization can vary from non-violent to violent
interest groups with similar goals for change.
6. Operation of social control. Counter movements,
government action to slow or stop change,
different forms of public discourse and action.
Social Movement: Conflict Theories
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An Activist Perspective
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Interest groups attempt to gain power, produce social
reforms, gain entry into established structures of
society.
The power elite will attempt to prevent such
movements from occurring.
Less powerful segments must mobilize their resources
to successfully compete against more powerful
segments of society.
The “we” vs. “they” perspective of competing interest
groups is more likely to engender antagonist public
discourse and violence.
Social Movement: Conflict Theories
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Mobilization Process
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Building a power base among sympathetic political and
economic elites.
Recruiting new members with similar beliefs.
Motivating persons to action.
Removing barriers to participation.
Creating a collective identity to retain existing
members.
Social Movement: Conflict Theories
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Political Process Theory
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Focus on windows of opportunity for social change.
Addresses the issue of timing of social movements
and provides explanations for the processes of social
movements.
1. Growth of political pluralism (competition among
two or more political parties with fairly equal
power).
2. Elite disunity, internal fragmentation of the elite,
disunity among the prevailing powerful segments.
3. Broadened access to power gaps.
4. Elites reach out to other interest groups to gain
needed majorities for control of power.
5. New opportunities for new groups.
Social Movement: Conflict Theories
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New Movement Theory
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Focus upon emerging culture, ideology, generalized
beliefs, and values in shaping social change and
development.
Groups attempt to sustain and expand their “lifespace,”
their hold on the ability to define proper values.
Focus on ethics and morality and who defines what is
ethical and moral.
Complex agendas emerge as groups seek to expand
their values to a broad spectrum of life.
Value-oriented groups do not see the government as
an ally.
Typified by political righteousness, agents of cultural
revolution.
Social Movements
Summary
The Future: Live it or Live with It!