Social transformation
lovechrist2000
SocialMovements.pptx
Social Movements
The Ta’ziyeh Commemoration of Ashura Battle of Karballa
A framework for implicit dissent or explicit protest
Followed on in 2009 – Where is my vote?
The Green Movement
Allahu Akbar
Defining Social Movements
‘fuzzy’ phenomena or ‘moving targets’
(Sidney Tarrow, Understanding political change in Eastern Europe. Aiming at a moving target: Social Science and the rebellions in Eastern Europe, in Political Science and Politics 24, 1991, pp.12 – 190)
Social Movement
In the 18th century, ‘Mouvement Social’ was used to describe major changes in society
Since the 1830s, the term also referred to groups, in particular socialist groups, which deliberately sought to bring about societal changes
Since the 19th century the second meaning took over and is
no longer confined to groups of a certain ideology.
McCarthy and Zald’s definition:
‘a set of opinions and beliefs in a population which represents preferences for changing some elements of the social structure and/or reward distribution of a society’
(John McCarthy and Mayer N. Zald , ‘Resource mobilisation and social movements: a partial theory, in American Journal of Sociology 82, 1977, pp. 1212-1241 )
What’s the problem here?
It includes also those who hold described opinions and beliefs, but are totally inactive.
It includes people engaged in religious congregations, private interest groups, political parties etc.
It does not say anything about social movement structures; role of resources and organisation in the emergence and survival of social movements
Political Mission?
Other scholars have a strong political mission and restricted their definition to the ‘progressive’ or ‘emancipatory’ spectrum only.
Theodor W.Adorno, ‘Notes on the static and the dynamic in society’, Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie 8, 1956, pp.321-328)
What’s the problem here?
Where does this leave the groups, who meet the structural criteria usually attributed to a social movement, but cannot be categorised as ‘progressive’, because their goal does not fit the conservative/progressive dimension or they have an anti-progressive stance ?
Charles Tilly
…a sustained series of interaction between power-holders and persons successfully claiming to speak on behalf of a constituency lacking formal representation, in the course of which these persons make publicly visible claims for changes in the distribution of the exercise of power, and back those demands with public demonstrations of support.
(Charles Tilly, ‘Social movements and national politics’ in Bright and Harding eds, Statemeking and social movements, 1984, pp.297-317).
What’s the problem here?
It’s a logical problem, because the definition even includes power-holders who are, like their challengers, involved in the ‘sustained series of interactions’.
Tilly changed his definition of a social movement to:
‘a series of contentious performances, displays and campaigns by which ordinary people make collective claims on others’.
(Charles Tilly, Social movements , 1768-2004, 2004, p.3)
Question
Can we define social movements in opposition to power-holders only?
Powerholders may be supported by what is commonly understood as a social movement.
What about a struggle between a social movement and a counter movement in which power-holders play only a minor role?
The aim to bring about , or resist, social change is a crucial element in a definition; not any minor change in society, but rather fundamental change of society
What’s fundamental change?
Refers to the basic patterns of distribution of power and material resources in a given society and
And to the values and justifications for maintaining this order.
According to Rucht…
if we agree to the criterion of social movements as collective attempts to bring about fundamental social change, we have to conclude that social movements did not exist in pre-modern times
(Eric J. Hobsbawm, ‘Peasants and politics, Journal of peasant studies 1 1973, pp. 1-22;Samuel Cohn, Lust for liberty: the politics of social revolt in medieval Europe, 1200-1425, 2006).
Rucht: three further elements
First, in structural terms, a social movement is a network of individuals, groups and/or organisations
Secondly, in terms of self-attribution, a social movement is based on a kind of we-feeling, a collective identity, we and they.
(Alberto Melucci, ‘Getting involved. Identity and mobilisation in social movements’, in Klandermans, Kriesi and Tarrow eds, From structure to action: comparing social movement research across cultures, 1988, pp.329-348).
Finally, collective public protest is a key instrument to persue the goals of social movements.
Rucht’s definition:
A network of individuals, groups and organisations that, based on a sense of collective identity, seek to bring about social change (or resist change) primarily by the means of public protest.
1960s – a new perspective
opportunity structure
resources
framing
The three concepts:
‘Opportunity structure’ describes the framework within which protests are articulated.
‘Resources’ emphasises that protesters need means to mobilise people
‘Framing’ highlights how protesters articulate their resistance through particular meaning and belief systems.
Together, the three concepts show:
Protests always develop in particular political contexts independent of them;
They need a more or less explicit legitimating ideology;
They need social and material resources for the protests to be effectively articulated.
Changes in Protest Behaviour in Europe
The growth of
states
capitalism
the city
Early Protests
Peasant Protests
Guild battles
Food riots
Workers and Journeymen’s struggles
Millenarian Movements
Social Revolutions
What distinguishes social movements from these earlier forms of protest? Marcel van der Linden:
They involve movement organisations (action groups etc)
They mainly concentrate on specific social issues that are centrally valued.
Its nature has a dynamic, diverse and changeable form
Nobody fully controls it, while all sorts of organised centres are active within it simultaneously
Workers Movements
Civil Right/Social Justice
Movements
Solidarity Movements
Anti War Movements
Women and Youth Movements
Repeated appearance of three driving forces:
The longing for
a minimum of social security
adherence to certain standards of social justice
respect
Task 10% – Work with your partner to:
Identify a definition of a Social Movement
Identify and research a Social Movement
How does the definition fit?
What is the movement’s context?
How are people mobilised? What resources are used?
What framework is used? What is the activists meaning or belief-system?
Was it/is it successful? How/Why not?
Discuss whether the Global Anti-COVID Measure protests constitute a social movement.
Some literature…
Sidney Tarrow, Understanding political change in Eastern Europe. Aiming at a moving target: Social Science and the rebellions in Eastern Europe, in Political Science and Politics 24, 1991, pp.12 – 190.
John McCarthy and Mayer N. Zald , ‘Resource mobilisation and social movements: a partial theory, in American Journal of Sociology 82, 1977, pp. 1212-1241.
Theodor W. Adorno, ‘Notes on the static and the dynamic in society’, Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie 8, 1956, pp.321-328.
Charles Tilly, ‘Social movements and national politics’ in Bright and Harding eds, Statemeking and social movements, 1984, pp.297-317.
Charles Tilly, Social movements , 1768-2004, 2004, p.3.
Some more literature…
Eric J. Hobsbawm, ‘Peasants and politics, Journal of peasant studies 1 1973, pp. 1-22;Samuel Cohn, Lust for liberty: the politics of social revolt in medieval Europe, 1200-1425, 2006.
Alberto Melucci, ‘Getting involved. Identity and mobilisation in social movements’, in Klandermans, Kriesi and Tarrow eds, From structure to action: comparing social movement research across cultures, 1988, pp.329-348.
