What good did it do?
How Social Movements Matter
How should we study social
movement impact?
Marco’s Big Questions …
1- What two big debates about
movement impacts have social
movement theorists typically
argued about?
2- What three problems have
hindered our analysis of movement
outcomes?
Possible approaches…
• Did the movement (or a phase of
movement contention):
– Alter power relations between challengers
and authorities?
– Force policy change?
– Bring about broader structural changes?
– Bring about cultural changes?
– Bring “collective goods” (or “collective bads”)
to the community on whose behalf movement
activists claimed to operate?
(Giugni, Amenta and Young)
Stages of movement impact
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Movement organization and growth
Gaining visibility
Gaining support
Maintaining support
Leverage
Recognition
Change
Things to keep in mind…
• Look for alternative
explanations and the
impact of other actors
and events
• Think about comparisons
• It’s rare to find proof
Why do some movements achieve
more of their goals than others?
Factors that can help movements
get what they want…
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Influential allies
A short causal chain
A vulnerable target
Cultural homogeneity
Credible and strong leadership
Internal discipline and coordination
Patience & persistence
Good planning
• W x U x N x C= Strength (Tilly)
The boomerang effect
Target)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Allies
Local Activists
(Keck and Sikkink)
Factors that impede movement
“success”
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•
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No influential allies
Protected/Invulnerable target
Internal divisions
Economic and cultural divisions
Does institutionalization help or
hinder movements?
What is movement
institutionalization?
“The creation of a repeatable process that is
self-sustaining” (D. Meyer and S. Tarrow)
• Routinization of collective action
• Inclusion in formal institutions, political
decisionmaking
• Change in the nature of relations between
activists & authorities
– Moderation in tactics and tone
How can institutionalization benefit
movements?
• More access to power
• Reduced levels of risk
• More reliable sources of material
resources
• Moderation may broaden the base of
participants
How can institutionalization hurt
movements?
• Can splinter a movement between
“moderates” and “radicals”
• Can divert energy and resources into
organizational maintenance
• Can co-opt movements
• Can alienate movement leadership from
grassroots base