Chapter 17, Section 4

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Chapter 17, Section 4

• Social Movements

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The Nature of Social Movements

• The social movement is the most highly
  structured, rational, and enduring form of
  collective behavior
• Characteristics of a social movement
• A large number of people
• A common goal to promote or prevent social change
• Structured organization with commonly recognized
  leaders
• Activity sustained over a relatively long time
  period

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The Nature of Social Movements

• Examples of social movements
• American Revolution
• Abolitionism
• Pro-life and pro-choice movements
• Most social movements are started to stimulate
  change
• May also oppose change

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Primary Types of Social Movements

• Revolutionary movement
• Attempts to change a society totally
• American Revolution
• Reformative movement
• Aims to effect more limited changes in a society
• Antiwar movement of the 1960s
• Redemptive movement
• Focuses on changing people completely
• Religious cult

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Primary Types of Social Movements

• Alternative movement
• Seeks only limited changes in people
• Zero Population Growth

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Theories of Social Movements

• Value-Added Theory six conditions must exist in
  order for social movements to occur
• Structural conduciveness the environment must
  be social-movement friendly
• Structural strains the presence of conflicts,
  ambiguities, and discrepancies within a society
• Generalized beliefs a general recognition that
  there is a problem and agreement that something
  should be done to fix it

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Theories of Social Movements

• Precipitating factors one or more significant
  events must occur to galvanize people into action
• Mobilization of participants for action get
  people moving
• Social control actions of the media, police,
  courts, etc. can lead to the success or failure
  of a social movement

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Theories of Social Movements

• Resource Mobilization Theory focuses on the
  process through which members of a social
  movement secure and use the resources needed to
  advance their cause
• Resources include leadership, organization,
  money, equipment, etc.

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Assignment

• Section 3 Assessment (p. 589) 1-4
• Section 4 Assessment (p. 596) 1-4