Collective Behavior Exam 1

Social Movement

A collective & organized challenge to authorities, power holders, or cultural beliefs and practices.

Social Movement Organization (SMO)

A complex, or formal, organization which identifies its goals with the preference of a social movement or a countermovement and attempts to implement these goals. Get the work done

Transnational Advocacy Network

A network of activists living in different societies that collaborate and assist one another across borders. These activists share common beliefs and concerns, and they exchange information an resources in pursuit of common goals.

Free Spaces

A place such as a church, or school which is a safe setting in which to meet, exchange ideas, and make plans. It is a space free from the prying eyes of opponents and authorities.

Informal Movement Structures

Activist networks and affinity groups can be those networks, while informal in structure, are ready to mobilize or participate in a movement.

How movements matter to political activists

Activists will be changed through educations, mobilization, promotion of ongoing awareness and actions; by promoting personal loyalties, social movements build the infrastructure not only of subsequent movements but of a democratic society more generally.

Participatory Democracy

An opposition to regular channels of representative democracy, allowing people to make decisions directly, instead of voting for those who would make the ultimate decisions.

Social Movement Sector (SMS)

Any movement sector; everything to do with the movement.

Feminism as Movement

As a movement- demands were made and calls for equality, grassroots organizations took shape and participants grew.

How movements matter in public policy

Attention is brought to an issue; political, journalistic, and public interest is piqued; alternative thinking is promoted; political support for leaders sympathetic to their concerns; shows that there are passionate citizens who might also donate money, work in campaigns, and vote for candidates; strengthen advocates of minority positions within government; authorities can be convinced to re-examine and possibly change their policy preferences.

Formal, non-movement structures

Churches, Unions, and other similar societal organizations that often support nascent movements or join broader social change campaigns.

Conscience Constituents

Direct supporters of a SMO who do not stand to benefit directly from its success in goal accomplishment.

Conscience Adherents

Individuals and groups who are part of the appropriate SM, but do not stand to benefit directly from SMO goal accomplishment.

Adherents

Individuals and organizations that believe in the goals of the movements.

Transnational Coalitions

Involves routine communications, more clearly defined expectations and efforts at mutual support, and more explicit commitment to specific campaigns.

Transnational Networks

Involves the lowest density, fewest connections, and least commitment to transnational alliances. Networks will vary considerably in the extent to which they reflect a coherent and unified collection of actors.

How movements matter in political institutions

It is not uncommon for governments to create new institutions, such as departments and agencies, in response to activists' demands; government might respond to movement demands by ensuring that diverse voices are heard in decision-making; dedicated organizations might spawn that generally survive long after a movement's moment has passed.

Repertoires of Protest

Learned, shared, and occasionally modified routine ways in which people protest. These are shaped by a society's sense of justice, daily routines and social organization of the population, their prior experience of collective actions, and the patterns and forms of repression they are likely to face.

Classical theory and the media

Mass turmoil is expected to influence political leaders by creating a threat to the social order. This point of view dovetails with the literature on newspaper coverage. Newspapers are more likely to report on large and violent events, so organizations linked to disruptive actions will likely receive more extensive coverage.

Resources

Money and the physical or professional capacities it can buy needed by movements for its sustainment.

Political context theory and the media

Movements are expected to expand and gain influence with a sympathetic regime in power. Ideologically similar regimes should both stimulate movements and promote consequences favorable to them. Less prominent argument, but another view is movements will advance in the wake of major policy changes favoring the movement's constituency. Movements are sustained politically through policies related to their constituencies. Movements are shaped by the rhythms of state building and policy making, which alter politics and often work in a self-reinforcing way. These policies should bolster movements and help promote further outcomes favorable to them.

New Social Movements

Movements that have swept through Europe and the US which are not pursuing the economic or class interests of their members. Instead, they are pursuing issues such as the quality of life or democratic procedures.

Informal, non-movement structures

Networks like those that are through friendship or professional channels, that have contact on a regular basis.

Preemption

New advantages without acceptance.

Indigenous Organization

Preexisting or linked political or social organizations, churches, friendship networks, schools, sports clubs, workplaces, neighborhoods, and so on.

Success as Outcomes

Recognizing that a given challenging group may receive different scores on equally valid, different measures of outcome. These outcomes fall into two basic clusters: one concerned with the fate of the challenging group as an organization (acceptance of a challenging group by its antagonists) and one with the distribution of new advantages to the group's beneficiary (whether the group's beneficiary gains new advantages during the challenge and its aftermath).

Civil Society

Refers to the sphere of association and conversation which falls outside the direct control of the state and other authorities. Encompasses the dialogues and interactions through which political views are formed and through which groups come to understand their interests.

Resource mobilization theory and the media

SMOs and SMO families with the most extensive resources would be expected to receive extensive coverage. Newspapers tend to view their reporting as reflecting main tendencies in social trends, so coverage may be determined in part by the size of SMOs and SMO families. Coverage focuses on events that draw the participation of large organizations. The more members and the greater the number of organizations available for coverage in and SMO family, the greater the coverage.

Co-optation

The acceptance without new advantages.

Tactical Innovation

The discovery or rediscovery of new forms of protest.

Cadre

The individuals who are involved in the decisions-making process of the organization.

Choice Points

The numerous choices of protestors and their opponents in the course of their varied engagements. These cause many to face strategic dilemmas in which each course of action has potential benefits but also costs and risks.

Social Movement Industry (SMI)

The organizations analogue of a social movement. What the movement is based around.

Economic Globalization

The reduction of economic borders to allow the free passage of goods and money anywhere in the world.

Countermovement

The set of opinions and beliefs in a population opposed to a social movement.

Resource Mobilization Perspective

This approach emphasizes both societal support and constraint of social movement phenomena. It examines the variety of resources that must be mobilized, the linkages of social movements to other groups, the dependence of movements upon external support for success, and the tactics used by authorities to control or incorporate movements.

Protest Cycle

This begins when the structure of political opportunity turns more favorable, encouraging groups to act on long-standing grievances and/or newly created ones. The activities of these early mobilizers then encourage other groups and movements to activate as well. As a result, conflict diffuses throughout society at higher than normal levels of frequency and intensity. This activity builds, peaks, and then declines to more normal levels.

Constituents

Those providing resources for a SMO.

Isolated Adherents

Those who are part of SMOs or a movement by providing resources, but do not meet face to face, or might only provide resources one time, and do not stand to benefit from the SM.

Isolated Constituents

Those who are part of nonfederated SMOs who do not normally meet face to face with other constituents, thus they cannot be bound to the SMOs through solidary selective incentives.

Potential Beneficiaries

Those who would benefit directly from SMO goal accomplishement.

Formal Movements Structures

Transnational SMOs as well as increasing numbers of national and locally organized SMOs who are actors in transnational movements.

Participatory Communication Model

Treats citizens as collective actors-groups of people who interact, who are capable of building long-term relationships with journalists and carrying out collaborative, sustained reframing efforts that may involve intense conflict.

Social Marketing Model

Treats its audience as individuals whose citizenship involves voting and perhaps conveying their personal opinions to key decision makers.

Indiscriminate Violence

Violence to stop a movement will sometimes be done to innocent civilians at random, and without thought to who the violence is happening to. It will be put upon

Weapons of the Weak

Ways in which those who are constantly suppressed or under surveillance find to protest. i.e., work very slowly or poorly, play dumb when confronted, tell jokes, or spread gossip.

World Civic Politics

When TANs work to shape the way vast numbers of people throughout the world act toward a certain goal using modes of governance that are part of global society.

Federated Structure

When a SMO desires to pursue its goals in more than a local environment, it will develop federation chapters in local areas to mobilize.

Moral Panics

When a potential perceived threat suddenly receives considerable attention or sudden concern over a group or activity, accompanied by calls for control and suppression.

Political Opportunities

When groups are sufficiently organized to protest but are fearful that they will be ignored or even repress if they do, they will not engage until they have some access to authorities, see signs that repression is declining, elites are divided, or elites or other influential groups are willing to support them.

Mobilization Structures

When indigenous organization does not already exists, would-be protestors have to create their own protest organizations.

Emotion Management

When political activists try hard to induce emotions that they think are good for their movement or cause, and to prevent emotions or moods that they think are bad. At meetings and protests, they will work to generate emotions like outrage, excitement, joy, guilt, hope, or solidarity. It also involves attempts to mitigate fear, depression, hopelessness, and boredom. Also, there is the calming of emotions for those who may cause problems for the movement.

Repression

When political leaders retain control over the military and police, and then can suppress almost any social movement. It will be constrained primarily by public opinion or by disagreements among elites. It generally dampens protest, but can sometimes backfire provoking greater levels of protest.

Movement in Abeyance

When some political causes go through long periods of relative inactivity, disappearing from the public eye before springing back to life. They are kept alive by small groups or networks of people who remember previous mobilizations and remain committed to ideals that are generally out of favor among the broader public. Can include formal organizations that continue to work for social change even when there is no evidence of a surround movement.

Isolated Structure

When the goals of a movement want to stay local.

Polarization

When there is no middle ground, each side of a protest sees their side as right or wrong, making negotiations difficult.

Feminism as an Idea

While there are still groups and organizations dedicated to promoting feminism, the projects do not shape the public image. The organizations and academic networks that shape public perceptions of feminism have become distant from the constituencies that once invigorated them, and have lost focus and dynamism.

protest

a statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something.