Social Movements and Social
Change
Reading
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“Social Change and Social Movements”, chapter
21 in Sociology by Rod Stark (2007)
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Soc Lexicon: Final Deadline THIS FRIDAY!
Outline: Social Movements and
Collective Action
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What is Social Change?
Collective action/social movements
Irrational and Rational behavior
Prisoner’s dilemma models
Collective Goods and their provision
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leadership
Production Functions
Political Opportunity
“New” Social Movements
Effect of ECTs on social change
Organized Deviance/Social
Change
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How do individuals get together to cause or prevent
social change?
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To what degree are people able to shape history?
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Some say we are totally the creation of society
“history is our destiny”
Others say we have considerable freedom to make our own
history
“free will”
Major Examples of Effective Social
Movements in the US
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Settlements for Religious Freedom (early colonists)
Abolitionism
Prohibition
Labor Movement
Civil Rights
Women’s Rights
Anti-War movement
Gay rights/AIDS activism
Anti-globalization
Major Approaches to Social
Movements
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Collective behavior approach
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Emphasizes outbursts of activity as response to
grievances
Resource Mobilization approach
Assumes largely constant grievances
 Focuses on
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Organization
 Leadership
 differential access to resources
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Collective Behavior
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Riots, panics, mobs, and other sorts of
seemingly irrational behavior
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Triggered by values, grievances (complaints,
worries, fears)
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What are your grievances?
The Poor People’s March on Washington
Women’s Food Riot, 1940s
Looting during a blackout
College Students Sit-in
The ‘j-curve’ of grievances
Hopes for change
Unmet expectations = Crisis
Actual changes
Time