Neue Soziale Bewegungen: 'Europaische' Erklarungskonzepte

In: Neue soziale Bewegungen: Forschungsjournal, Band 11, Heft 1, S. 63-79

Abstract

Evaluates European research on new social movements including the peace, antinuclear, Third World solidarity, self-help, alternative, & women's movements, 1960s-1980s, & traces the evolution of social movement discourse. Historical predecesssors of social movement research, the Marxist tradition & collective behavior (mass psychology, anomie & relative deprivation) approaches, which have inspired & shaped the literature on new social movements, are summarized. The main theses of the new social movement approach, which build on the idea of a crisis of modern societies & Robert Inglehart's (eg, 1990) theory of value change, are demonstrated in a discussion of central authors, eg, Alain Touraine & Alberto Melucci (eg, 1980 [see abstract 82M0066]). The strengths & limits of the new social movement approach are assessed, & criticisms regarding the unity of new social movements & problems of empirically concretizing & delimiting such an abstract, overarching phenomenon are offered. It is concluded that the fact that the approach has drawn attention to the societal role of social movements as indicators of crises is an important strength & ensures its relevance for international social movement research. 90 References. Adapted from the source document.