The Diffusion of Social Movements

It Is Widely Recognized That Social Movements May Spread - Or ''Diffuse'' - From One Site To Another. Such Diffusion However Is A Complex And Multidimensional Process That Involves Different Actors Networks And Mechanisms. This Complexity Has Spawned A Large Body Of Literature On Different Aspects Of The Diffusion Process Yet A Comprehensive Framework Remains An Elusive Target. This Book Is A Response To That Need And Its Framework Focuses On Three Basic Analytical Questions. First What Is Being Diffused? Second How Does Diffusion Occur? Finally What Is The Impact Of Diffusion On Organizational Development And Shifts In The Scale Of Contentious Politics? This Volume Suggests That Diffusion Is Not A Simple Matter Of Political Contagion Or Imitation; Rather It Is A Creative And Strategic Process Marked By Political Learning Adaptation And Innovation.