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Social Movements in Global Politics is a timely new account of the unconventional, 'extra-institutional' activities of social movements. In the face of impending global crises and stubborn conflicts, a conventional view of politics risks leaving us confused and fatalistic, feeling powerless because we are unaware of all that can be achieved by political means. By contrast, a variety of recent social movements, ranging from those of women, gays and lesbians and anti-racists, to environmentalists, the Occupy movement and the Arab Spring, demonstrate the enormous potential of political action beyond the institutional sphere of politics. At the same time, religious fundamentalists, racial supremacists and ultra-nationalists make clear that movements are not necessarily progressive and are often at odds with one another. West highlights the many ways in which national and global institutions depend on a broader context of extra-institutional action or what is, in effect, the formative dimension of politics. He explores some of the major contributions of social movements: from the genealogy of liberal democratic nation-states, sixties' radicalism and the 'new social movements' to the politics of sexuality, gender and identity, the politicization of nature and climate, and alter-globalization. The book also considers current theoretical approaches and sets out the basis for a critical theory of social movements. This is a fresh and original account of social movements in politics and will be essential reading for any students and scholars interested in the challenges and the unpredictable potential of political action.

Building social movement theory / Carol McClurg Mueller -- The political context of rationality / Myra Marx Ferree -- The social psychology of collective action / William A. Gamson -- The social construction of protest and multiorganizational fields / Bert Klandermans -- Collective identity in social movement communities : lesbian feminist mobilization / Verta Taylor and Nancy E. Whittier -- Master frames and cycles of protest / David A. Snow and Robert D. Benford -- Collective identity and activism / Debra Friedman and Doug McAdam -- Mentalities, political cultures, and collective action frames / Sidney Tarrow -- Resource mobilization versus the mobilization of people : why consensus movements cannot be instruments of social change / Michael Schwartz and Shuva Paul -- Communities of challengers in social movement theory / Clarence Y.H. Lo -- Mobilizing technologies for collective action / Pamela E. Oliver and Gerald Marwell -- Consensus movements, conflict movements, and the cooptation of civic and state infrastructures / John D. McCarthy and Mark Wolfson -- Normalizing collective protest / Frances Fox Piven and Richard A. Cloward -- Looking backward to look forward / Mayer N. Zald -- Political consciousness and collective action / Aldon D. Morris

Examines processes of self-transformation that may occur in individuals as a result of their participation in social movements, drawing on theory & research on the self-concept. The relationship between identity & self-concept is described, & types of identities involved in social movements are discussed. Dynamics of social movements that can contribute to changes in individual self-concepts are identified, using a social structure & personality model to diagram the intersection of psychological & social structural factors. The psychological process of internalization, which occurs via (1) biased scanning or (2) the reduction of cognitive dissonance, is described, along with structural/cultural characteristics of the social movement & dimensions of social interaction -- organized through narrative, texts, & rituals -- that shape self-change through identity work. 1 Figure, 64 References. K. Hyatt Stewart

It is argued that the paradigms developed by Alain Touraine, Jurgen Habermas, & Niklas Luhmann are not able to account for the new, fluid social movements of Western Europe. The crisis of the post-WWII social state provides a referent & the SE background for the emergence of these movements. This crisis has broken down the traditional divisions between capital & labor, confused the spheres of state & civil society, & drastically redefined expectations based on growth, wealth, & distribution. The problem today, beyond polemics, is in avoiding that the antagonistic impact of the movements be transformed into mere comanagement of spaces in the marginal, subsidized economy. Both the structural paradigm & the model based on "the actor" do not lead to alternative analytical models that lend themselves to empirical verification. Their failure to do so marks the limits of these theories. 16 References. Modified AA

It is sometimes assumed that fantasizing stands in contrast to activism. This book, however, argues that fantasy plays a central role in social movements. Drawing on the psychoanalytic theories of Freud, Klein and Lacan, and psychosocial theories inspired by them, Fantasy and Social Movements examines the relationships between fantasy, reality, action, the unconscious and the collective. It makes a case for distinguishing between various 'modes of fantasy', which configure these relationships in different ways. Illustrated by a case study of activists who support the exploration, development and settlement of outer space, the book's theoretical arguments provide a platform for a critical psychosocial reworking of contemporary social movement theory. The result is a new typology of social movements that places fantasy at its core.

The role of the US media in defining foreign social movements & organizing social discourse is examined. Journalism, by structuring the symbolic arena of life, defines debate parameters over international politics. US coverage of foreign social movements is characterized by three tendencies that significantly impact how US media consumers view foreign social events: (1) personalization, eg, focus on particular individuals within movements; (2) acceptance of the meanings & values associated with the Cold War; & (3) concentration on themes consistent with US political & cultural traditions. US media coverage of Poland's Solidarity trade union movement, Czechoslovakia's Civic Forum, & East Germany's New Forum is analyzed. D. Generoli

Examines the dynamics of collective action, focusing on the role of race in the breakdown of a social movement, particularly as experienced in labor movements in Poland & the US. It is suggested that collective mobilization does not always result in the building of movements; reflection is offered on why some forms fail to secure the needed cultural & social outlets. In this context, racism, ethnic intolerance, discrimination, & exclusion emerge as antimovements, or expressions of social forces incapable of managing the internal tensions between the universal & the particular. 36 References. C. Mariani

Chapter 1: The sociological study of conflict, social movements, and collective behavior -- Chapter 2: Sources of social conflict -- Chapter 3: Crises of national unity in new states: origins of the Nigerian Civil War -- Chapter 4: Mobilization: the formation of conflict groups -- Chapter 5: Mobilization: participation in opposition movements, leaders and activists, opposition ideas -- Chapter 6: Mobilization, leaders, and followers in the Civil Rights movement in the United States, 1950 to 1970 -- Chapter 7: Social control and conflict regulation -- Chapter 8: Confrontation -- Chapter 9: Group violence

This essay identifies patterns in the organisation and character of social movements in Africa, drawing upon examples from sub-Saharan Africa and finding connections with the 2011 'Arab Spring' uprisings. It pays attention to historicising social movements, global linkages and the problem of sustaining change. Rather than defining social movements in an a priori manner, or generalising from definitions derived from the western societies, it explores their concrete meanings in Africa. Thus it aims to avoid both the 'false negative' of overlooking genuine African social movements and the 'false positive' of labelling movements in a misleading manner. It identifies constraints upon collective action in Africa, exploring the political dynamics which undermine the formation of durable and organised movements and limit their capacity to represent popular concerns. Adapted from the source document.

Addressing issues of emotion in social movements, this internationally oriented volume will appeal to both sociologists and political activists given its broad approach and unique emphasis on emotions in protest, dissent and social movements.