SOC 100: Social Movements

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Questions and Answers

According to Bayat (2013), who do new social movements with identity politics reflect the sentiments of?

middle-class intellectuals

What are some characteristics of new social movements? (Select all that apply)

Structured organization

Clear-cut leadership

Coherent ideology

Active collective mobilization (correct)

Social change can occur through social movements.

True

Media play an important role in social movements, particularly regarding selection and description ___.

bias Signup and view all the answers

Match the following concepts with their descriptions:

Public sociology = New field helping sociologists engage with the public Intellectual activism = Engagement in advocacy using intellectual resources Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the key factors that can compel individuals to engage in social movements?

Belief in winning Signup and view all the answers

What is an important predictor of an individual's propensity to protest?

Money Signup and view all the answers

Having a lot of close friends involved in social movements increases the likelihood of an individual's participation.

True Signup and view all the answers

______ refers to small-scale settings within a community that are facilitative to the growth of social movement mobilization.

Free spaces Signup and view all the answers

Match the following components of frames in social movements:

Diagnostic = Identification of a problem and attributing blame Prognostic = Proposal of solutions to the diagnosed problems Motivational = Inspiring individuals to take action to solve the problem Signup and view all the answers

Define social movements and list their key elements.

Social movements are sustained challenges to existing holders of power in the name of a wronged population. Key elements include offering sustained challenge to power holders, engaging those with power by people with less power, representing a wronged population, disrupting the daily routines of power holders using tactics outside regular politics, and depending on the worthiness, unity, numbers, and commitment of its members (WUNC). Signup and view all the answers

What does the collective action problem in social movements refer to?

People avoid participating in protests because they believe it won't make a difference. Signup and view all the answers

Social movements often fight for public goods which are non- and non-.

excludable, rivalrous Signup and view all the answers

Civil liberties restrain government, while civil rights are protected by the government.

True Signup and view all the answers

Match the sociological theories with their descriptions:

Critical Theories = Assume that institutions of power are oppressive Symbolic Interactionism = Focuses on diverse motives of those in power and reasons for obedience Structural Functionalism = Believes institutions of power benefit society by maintaining stability Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Definition: Social movements are sustained challenges to existing holders of power in the name of a wronged population.
Key elements: • Commitment to challenge • Engagement with power holders • Representation of a wronged population • Disruption of daily routines • Worthiness, unity, numbers, and commitment of members (WUNC)

The Collective Action Problem

Developed by Mancur Olsen
People will avoid participating in collective action because they still benefit from whatever is gained, whether they contribute or not.
Suggests collective action is unlikely to occur even when large groups of people have common interests.

Participation varies along two dimensions: • Risk associated with the activity • Cost of engaging
Different methods of engaging in social movements: • Joining social movement organizations • Attending events like protests • Supporting social movement causes

Participation Requires

Four main elements: • Ideology • Resources • Biographical availability • Social ties and identity

Ideology

Ideological commitment is important for participation
Makes people cognitively available to participate in a movement

Resources

Money helps translate beliefs into action
Socio-economic status (SES) is an important predictor of an individual's propensity to protest

Biographical Availability

Life changes make individuals more or less available to participate

Social ties: having close friends involved in social movements increases participation
Identity: a collective identity that comes from shared attributes or experiences among a group is a prerequisite for collective action

Political Context/Critical Events

Social movement participation is shaped by the political context
Facilitative contexts: free spaces, small-scale settings within a community, voluntary, and generate cultural challenges

Consequences of Participation

Participating in social movements can have long-term transformative effects for individuals
Activists tend to maintain their ideology and remain politically active over time

Frames: • Diagnostic: identifying a problem and attributing blame • Prognostic: proposing solutions • Motivational: getting individuals to take action
The media might pick up the activists' frames and make them available to the public
Description bias: how the media depict activists and their actions
Selection bias: media editors choose which events to cover

Types of Media Coverage

Organizational models: media act as gatekeepers, favoring generalist reporters
Ideological models: media coverage is shaped by broader power relationships in society

Challenges with measuring success: • Broad goals make it hard to determine success • Difficulty in quantifying outcomes### Success in Social Movements
Groups with diverse goals often achieve only some of them.
Politicians and leaders often hesitate to admit the influence of social movements on their decisions.

William Gamson identifies two measures of success:
- Acceptance and legitimacy of a group's concerns
- Achieving concrete gains, such as laws, policies, or benefits

James Scott coined the term "Everyday Resistance," focusing on small-scale, daily forms of resistance by lower-class groups.
Scott argues that these forms of resistance are often overlooked in mainstream analysis, which focuses on violent political action.

Characteristics of Everyday Resistance

Relatively safe and "beneath notice" due to its small scale
Not considered "politics" or "group action" in the conventional sense

Quiet Encroachment

Coined by Asef Bayat to describe the activities of urban subalterns
Refers to non-collective, prolonged direct actions by individuals and families to acquire basic necessities of life
Characterized by:
- Episodic collective action
- Lack of clear ideology, structured organization, or leadership
- Gradual, discreet, and individual actions to fulfill needs and achieve autonomy

Quiet encroachment is distinct from new social movements, which are characterized by:
- Active collective mobilization, lobbying, and street protests
- Identity politics reflecting middle-class sentiments
Quiet encroachment is more achievable in the Global South, where state control is weaker.

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Description

This quiz covers the topics of social movements in the context of introductory sociology, specifically in Session 11 at the University of Alberta. It prepares students for the final exam on June 13, 2024.