New Social Movements

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2010 im Fachbereich Politik - Sonstige Themen Note: 20 Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen Sprache: Deutsch Abstract: Social movements are large informal groupings of individuals or organisations with a common interest which focus on specific political or social issues to carry out a social change. They are distinguished from other collective actors by having (the threat of) mass mobilisation as their prime source of social sanction and hence of power (Scott 1990: 6).Even if they vary by size „they are all essentially collective (Encyclopædia Britannica 2010). In contrast to individual strategies individual needs and problems social movements are the - more or less spontaneous - product of a defined conditions „shared by many as a public issue necessitating joint action (Oberschall 1997: 2). Beginning with a collective behaviour the result is a social movement when „short-lived impulses give way to long-term aims (Encyclopædia Britannica 2010). It takes measures to „pursue a collective solution by pooling their efforts and resources and coordinating their actions (Oberschall 1997: 2). Whether a social movement success or fails is depending on how many people join and how determined they are. (Oberschall 1997: 3). When we talk about social movements we have to pose several questions for example under what circumstances an issue becomes a public controversy and attracts supporters. Another question is the part played by leaders and what lasting consequences result that wouldn't have otherwise occurred. All in all social movements play a very important role in the society. They see themselves and they are analyzed in contemporary political sociology as involved in struggles over the definition of meanings and the construction of new identities and lifestyles as well as addressing formal political institutions. (Nash 2010: 87). According to Charles Tilly „socialmovements create or activate paired and unequal cat