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This article outlines some of the focal papers & debates from the "Transnational Processes & Social Movements" conference in Italy in July 2003. This conference was devoted to discussion of theoretical terms & research fronts & methods for investigation of the phenomenon of transformation of local & national movements to the global. Questions of terminology frequently arose, including use of the term globalization, when reality suggests that most international protests & participants are from only two dozen countries, suggesting that transnational is more appropriately applied. These types of movements were not seen to be a direct result of globalization, but were far more dependent on the individual mix of national & international political opportunity structures. The role of mass media, traditionally underexposed, was the subject of many papers, with the somewhat surprising result that the evaluation of protesters & demonstrations was more negative in developing countries than industrialized nations. More controversial discussions included the subject of scale shift & the influence of the Internet. The concluding speaker presented a series of central questions & careful answers that are likely to play a significant role in future debate. Adapted from the source document.

This collection of essays builds on a tradition of scholarly collaboration that began at a meeting of social movement scholars from the US & Europe at the Free U of Amsterdam in 1986. The meeting aimed to bridge the gaps between American & European scholarly traditions & between sociologists & political scientists. As new generations have joined in this collaboration, the bridge between old & new has had to be bridged as well. The contributions to this book reflect the richness of this collaboration as they study contemporary social movements & their interactions with opponents, authorities, & international institutions. They touch on some promising research topics such as global protest campaigns, counter-summits, cross-sectoral alliances among movements & nongovernmental organizations, & the refraction of transnational protest activity into the domestic arena. Drawing on recent cases of transnational contention -- eg, from the European Social Forum, the Argentinean human rights movement, & the Zapatistas -- the essays adapt the concepts & hypotheses developed in social movement scholarship to a new cycle of protest development around the globe under three headings: Transnationalism from the Inside; Diffusion & Scale Shift; & Internationalization. J. Stanton

The modern nation is an organisational form of society that has undergone numerous changes throughout history. The concept of the nation in Europe in the nineteenth century has been posed and answered in the past, but, as the basic conditions of its existence change, it is essential that this important question be asked again.Without doubt, the modern nation realizes the promises of solidarity and community which are so attractive to the masses, and has a profound effect on identity formation. Without these structures originally put in place by civil society, self-organization as the implementation of national thought is unimaginable. Understanding the necessity and the possibility of the designability of society through the idea of nation and the functionality of civil society determines the strength and stability of the national movement