Social Movements

Role of Social Movements

• Instrumental in changing or resisting changes in society
• Require organization, leadership, and resources to gain momentum

Types of Social Movements

• Activist Movements: Aim to change some aspect of society
• Regressive/Reactionary Movements: Aim to resist change

Theories of Social Movement Formation

Mass Society Theory

• Early 20th-century theory
• Viewed social movements as dysfunctional, irrational, and dangerous
• Provided community and refuge from life's meaninglessness
• Example: Nazism, Fascism, Stalinism
• Losing relevance post-20th century, especially after the Civil Rights Movement

Relative Deprivation Theory

• Focuses on oppressed or deprived groups
• Key Factors: Relative deprivation, feeling deserving of better, belief that conventional methods can't help
• Criticisms: People join social movements for different reasons, not just deprivation; also not all deprived groups form movements
• Example: Civil Rights Movement
• Exception: Migrant farm workers under Cesar Chavez

Resource Mobilization Theory

• Focuses on practical constraints (resources, political influence, access to media)
• Emphasizes strong organizational base and charismatic leadership
• Example: Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement

Rational Choice Theory

• Individuals weigh pros and cons to choose best course of action for themselves
• Assumptions: Order of preferences, transience, full knowledge of outcomes, cognitive ability
• Criticism: Assumptions rarely all hold true

Impact and Lifecycle of Social Movements

• Cause collective behavior like panics and crazes
• Anti-vaccine movement as a modern example

Lifecycle Stages

• Incipient Stage: Public notices a problem
• Organizational Stage: People coalesce and organize
• Achievements: Succeed in changing society or adapt

Legacy of Social Movements

• Success: Absorbed into existing institutions
• Failure: Leave a lasting mark on society
• Examples: Protestant Reformation, Civil Rights Movement, Nazism

Future Considerations

• Current radical movements may be normalized in the future