Chapter 12: Social Movements and Social Change
Social Movements
A large number of people come together in continued, organized effort to bring about or resist social change Noninstitutionalized action: marches, boycotts, demonstrations, and civil disobedience Oriented toward longer term goals with supporting set of beliefs and opinions Traditionally lack access to political power
Why Do Social Movements Arise? Microlevel Explanations
Activism likely if: Had prior contact with movements Social networks support movements Personal or family history of activism Lack of practical constraints Sense of moral rightness
Sources of Societal Change
Collective Behavior: Voluntary, goal-oriented action, relatively disorganized situations, predominant social norms and values cease to govern Example: Occupy Wall Street and Arab Spring movements Reaction to provocative or seemingly innocuous situation Seemingly spontaneous, reflects group response to larger social conditions
Functionalist Perspective
As societies develop, become more complex and interdependent Differentiation: development of increasing complexity through specialized social roles and institutions Differentiation can also lead to greater independence--dedifferentiation
Sociological Perspectives on Social Change
Can take place on micro or macro level Social change: changes that occur throughout social structure of entire society Societies: entities comprised of those people who share a common culture
Rise-and-Fall Theory of Societal Change
Change reflects cycle of growth and decline, rather than forward direction Sorokin: Shift between different mentalities, giving primacy to the senses, religiosity, or logic and reason
Social Movement Organizations
Conscience constituents: not directly affected by the cause, but provide resources Political system may encourage or repress Dense neighborhoods, workplaces facilitate social interaction and spur movement
Forms of Collective Behavior
Craze: intense attraction to an object, person, or activity Rumors: unverified information transmitted informally, usually originating from unknown source Allport and Postman: rumors reflect belief systems of those passing them along Tap into collectively held beliefs, fears, and hopes
Contagion Theories
Crowds: temporary gatherings of closely interacting people with common focus Unable to make rational decisions as individuals Contagion theory: people revert to herd-like behavior in large crowds Individual acts become contagious Some discredit collective behavior as "bandwagoning"
Forms of Collective Behavior
Fads: temporary, highly imitated outbreaks of mildly unconventional behavior Fashion: somewhat long-lasting style of imitative behavior or appearance Success undermines attractiveness Well-organized efforts of design, manufacturing, marketing, and media
Why Do Social Movements Arise? Organizational Movements
Formal organizations that seek social change through noninstitutionalized forms of action Rational action, defined goals, bureaucratic organizational structure Resource mobilization theory: ability to generate money, membership, political support Emerge and flourish in times of change
New Social Movements
Four distinct characteristics: Address control of symbols and information Value participation for its own sake Day-to-day networks of people Interconnectedness: think globally, act locally
Frame Alignment
Frame alignment: process of matching SMO's interests, ideas, values to society's Some support the issue, others weakly support, and others do not support at all
New Social Movements
Fundamentally concerned with quality of private life, advocate large-scale change Relationship between personal experiences and larger social forces
Social Movement Organizations
If successful, become mainstream, rank-and-file disappear, goals displacement Grassroots organizing: mobilize support among ordinary members in community
Why Do Social Movements Arise? Microlevel Explanations
Motivated by identification with others similarly afflicted Free rider problem: people avoid costs of activism (time, energy, and resources) and still benefit from its success
Rise-and-Fall Theory of Societal Change
Kennedy: As nations grow in economic power, seek world military power, leads to collapse Weber: Societies are increasingly governed by rationality, rules, and regulations, which can also result in irrationality
Conflict Theories of Social Change
Marx: conscious working class will rise and overthrow capitalism Gramsci: people consent to domination by accepting ruling-class hegemonies Dahrendorf: distribution of authority determines probability of conflict
Value-Added Theories
Micro- and macro-level factors contribute and converge Structural conduciveness Structural strain Generalized beliefs Mobilization for action Failure of social control
Emergent Norms
Norms created to support collective action, crowd adheres to norms Even when crowd behavior appears chaotic and disorganized, norms emerge that explain the crowd's actions
Types of Social Movements
Reactionary: seek to restore earlier social system along with traditional norms/values that accompanied it Often based on mythical past Arise in reaction to social change that threatens or replaces old order Countermovement or resistance movement
Types of Social Movements
Reformist: seek change within existing economic and political system Address legal institutions Utopian: withdraw from dominant society and create own ideal communities
Types of Social Movements
Revolutionary: seek to fundamentally alter existing economic, political, social system, vision of a new social order Clear targets: unjust government May see violence on one or both sides Rebellions: seek to overthrow existing system but lack plan for new social order
Forms of Collective Behavior
Riot: illegal, prolonged outbreak of violent behavior by large group against individuals or property Conventional norms suspended Panic: massive flight from something feared (often technology)
Micro-Mobilization
Small-group settings, generate shared beliefs on a problem and necessary actions Connects individual concerns to collective change
Why Study Social Change?
Social change is inevitable but each generation inherits constraints and resources: Constraints: characteristics of the society that limit vision and choices Resources: characteristics of the society that they can mobilize in new and creative ways
Evolutionary Theory
Societies develop linearly from "simple" and "primitive" into more "complicated" and "civilized" forms Social change = progress Used to justify colonization and imperialism Multilinear: multiple paths to societal change
Why Study Social Change?
Sociology equips students to understand dynamics of social change and work in fields that create social change. Examples include government; social services; nonprofit management and advocacy; education, health care, entrepreneurship, politics and lobbying; community service and law