Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0521629470

ISBN-13: 978-0521629478

 

Unlike political or economic institutions, social movements have an elusive power, but one that is no less real. This study surveys the history of the social movement, puts forward a theory of collective action to explain its surges and declines, and offers an interpretation of the power of movement that emphasizes its effects on personal lives, policy reforms and political culture. While covering cultural, organizational and personal sources of movements' power, the book emphasizes the rise and fall of social movements as part of political struggle and as the outcome of changes in political opportunity structure. This second edition has an entirely new chapter, major additions to the bibliography, new illustrative materials in many of the chapters and a new conclusion.

 

REVIEWS: 

 

"...Power in Movement reflects very well where the field is at this moment and identifies the animating questions for an ambitious agenda of ongoing work."

--William A. Gamson, Politics, Social Movements, and the State

"This is unquestionably a seminal work, one that lies fundamentally in the literature on social movements.... an exceptionally rich synthesis and weaving together of research and literature on social movements..."

--Studies in Comparative International Development

"The brilliance of this book is the author's ability to transcend conventional schools of social movement analysis.... It is difficult to see movements in the same light after reading this book."

--American Political Science Review