Week 11B Social Movements PDF

Week 11B Social Movements ------------------------- - What does Resource Mobilization theory (RMT) focus on? - What are New Social Movements (NSMs)? - Written reflection 4 (note extended due date on dropbox) What is the relationship between deprivation and social movements? ---------------...

Week 11B Social Movements ------------------------- - What does Resource Mobilization theory (RMT) focus on? - What are New Social Movements (NSMs)? - Written reflection 4 (note extended due date on dropbox) What is the relationship between deprivation and social movements? ------------------------------------------------------------------ - Relative deprivation: \- "Intolerable gap between the social rewards people think they deserve & social rewards they (expect to) receive" What is Smelser's structural strain theory? ------------------------------------------- - Neil Smelser \- *The Theory of Collective Behaviour* (1962) - 6 Factors 1\) Structural conduciveness (ignore textbook definition) \- Permissiveness of social arrangements to generate movements \- Open or democratic society 2\) Structural strain \- Tensions, conflicts, deprivations and discrepancies 3\) Growth and spread of an explanation \- Generalized belief (ideology) 4\) Precipitating factors \- Triggers 5\) Mobilization for action \- Leadership 6\) (Lack of) social control \- Ineffective operation of control social movement What does resource mobilization theory (RMT) focus on? ------------------------------------------------------ - RMT \- McCarthy & Zald \- Critique of previous theory: did not acknowledge outsiders often just as important as insiders - Shift from: "WHY do people want change; WHEN will a movement be formed" to "HOW can people organize, pool resources, and wield them effectively" - Organization of resources key - Practical/tactical basis - Utilitarian logic: cost/benefit analysis - Membership/recruitment \- Bloc recruitment \- Recruit existing group as a whole - Framing & frame alignment \- "Issues must be 'framed' so that they resonate with the beliefs, feelings, and desires of potential recruits" - Free-rider problem \- Free-riders: benefit personally from movement success, but don't directly participate - Goal: Transform free-riders (and others) members \- Coercion (force or guilt) \- Incentives \- Selective incentives to movement entrepreneurs (paid staff): \- Salaries, prestige, power - Professionalization \- Fundraising \- Bureaucratization What are New Social Movements (NSMs)? ------------------------------------- - NSMs \- 1960s \- Not working class, but relatively educated, affluent populations \- Social media \- Universalistic (peace, environmental, LGBTQ rights) - NSMs = identity-oriented, "who" - RMT = strategy-oriented, "how" Case Study: The Raging Grannies [Video: The Raging Grannies ("Granny Power")](https://vimeo.com/126212302) Focus Questions - How do the Raging Grannies fit the NSM profile? - How do they use their "little old lady" identities strategically? - What about Black Lives Matter?