Understanding social movements

"Understanding Social Movements offers a multidisciplinary introduction to the study of social and cultural protest and contentious politics. It combines a theoretical perspective and with a fascinating array of case studies. It covers religious movements; social welfare movements; struggles over space; law, crime and social movements; and media and movements. Other sections of the book discuss the origins of social movement studies and historical perspectives, social movements and political processes, new social movements, identity and cultural politics, and virtual networking and cyber protest. Case studies include the US civil rights movement, anti-globalization campaigns, and include further material from Europe, China, Latin America, Africa, India and the Middle East"--

"This book offers a new and fresh approach to understanding social movements. It provides interdisciplinary perspectives on social and cultural protest, and contentious politics. It considers major theories and concepts, which are presented in an accessible and engaging format. Historical and contemporary case studies and examples from a variety of different countries are provided throughout, including the American civil rights movement, Greenpeace, Pussy Riot, indigenous peoples movements, liberation theology, Occupy, Tea Party, and the Arab Spring. The book presents specific chapters outlining the early origins of social movement studies, and more recent theoretical and conceptual developments. It considers key ideas from resource mobilization theory, the political process model, and new social movement approaches. It provides an expansive commentary on the role of culture in social protest, and looks at substantive areas in chapters dedicated to religious movements, geography and struggles over space, media and movements, and global activism. Understanding Social Movements will be a useful resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students across disciplines wanting to be introduced to or extend their knowledge of the field. The book will also prove invaluable for lecturers and academic researchers interested in studying social movements"--

Cover; Title; Copyright; Dedication; CONTENTS; List of figures; List of boxes; Acknowledgements; 1 Introduction; Should we be optimistic about social movement radicalism?; Social movements in society; Doing social movement research; Understanding social movements; 2 Origins of social movement studies; Introduction; Social psychology of crowds; Collective behaviour theory; Box 2.1 Propaganda and collective behaviour: The Nuremburg rallies; Symbolic interactionism: Blumer's theory of social movements; Box 2.2 Social movement colours: 'Rebel Colours'; Box 2.3 Emergent norm theory Smelser's structural-functionalism and the value-added modelBox 2.4 Determinants of collective behaviour: Example of a financial panic; Evaluating Blumer and Smelser; The enduring influence of collective behaviour theories and symbolic interactionism; Box 2.5 Social movements as dramas; Summary; Rational choice theory and the free rider problem; Critiques of rational choice theory; Conclusion; Suggested readings; Note; 3 Political opportunity, resource mobilization, and social movement organization; Introduction; Resource mobilization theory; Box 3.1 Defining 'social movement' Political process modelStructur…