Rethinking Social Movements: Structure, Meaning, and Emotion / Edition 1

by Jeff Goodwin, James M. Jasper author of The Art of Moral Protest, Myra Marx Ferree Alice H. Cook Professor o, Richard Flacks, Marshall Ganz

Overview

This landmark volume brings together some of the titans of social movement theory in a grand reassessment of its status. For some time, the field has been divided between a dominant structural approach and a cultural or constructivist tradition. The gaps and misunderstandings between the two sides—as well as the efforts to bridge them—closely parallel those in the discipline of sociology at large. This book aims to further the dialogue between these two distinct approaches to social movements and to show the broader implications for sociology as a whole as it struggles with issues including culture, emotion, and agency.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742525962
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/07/2003
Series:	People, Passions, and Power: Social Movements, Interest Organizations, and the P
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 9.04(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Jeff Goodwin is professor of sociology at New York University. James M. Jasper is the author of several books including Nuclear Politics, The Animal Rights Crusade (with Dorothy Nelkin), The Art of Moral Protest, and Restless Nation.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 I Political Process Theory: Opportunity or Constraint? Chapter 3 Caught in a Winding, Snarling Vine: The Structural Bias of Political Process Theory Chapter 4 Wise Quacks Chapter 5 Paradigm Warriors: Regress and Progress in the Study of Contentious Politics Chapter 6 Tending the Vineyard: Cultivating Political Process Research Chapter 7 Political Opportunity Structure: Some Splitting to Balance the Lumping Chapter 8 Trouble in Paradigms Part 9 II Beyond Dominant Paradigms Chapter 10 Culture Is Not Just in Your Head Chapter 11 The Post-Structuralist Consensus in Social Movement Theory Chapter 12 The Intellectual Challenges of Toiling in the Vineyard Chapter 13 Knowledge for What? Thoughts on the State of Social Movements Studies Chapter 14 Passionate Political Processes: Bringing Emotions Back into the Study of Social Movements Chapter 15 Why David Sometimes Wins: Strategic Capacity in Social Movements Part 16 III Concluding Reflections Chapter 17 Rethinking Political Process Theory Chapter 18 Reflections on Social Movement Theory: Criticisms and Proposals Chapter 19 Hot Movements, Cold Cognition: Thinking about Social Movements in Gendered Frames

Editorial Reviews

[This book] is a most welcome and useful assessment of recent theory, one that will contribute to regenerating the field of social movements and contentious politics.

Contemporary Sociology

This volume should be particularly valuable reading on social movements for academics and those with an advanced knowledge of social movement theories. True to its title, the book engages several important topics in these fields and gives one the feeling of being privy to discussions on the state-of-the-art of new research in an increasingly important body of work.

Political Studies Review

[This book] is a most welcome and useful assessment of recent theory, one that will contribute to regenerating the field of social movements and contentious politics.--Contemporary Sociology

This volume should be particularly valuable reading on social movements for academics and those with an advanced knowledge of social movement theories. True to its title, the book engages several important topics in these fields and gives one the feeling of being privy to discussions on the state-of-the-art of new research in an increasingly important body of work.--Political Studies Review, (Uk)

From the Publisher

This volume should be particularly valuable reading on social movements for academics and those with an advanced knowledge of social movement theories. True to its title, the book engages several important topics in these fields and gives one the feeling of being privy to discussions on the state-of-the-art of new research in an increasingly important body of work.

(Uk) Political Studies Review

A former political writer for Congressional Quarterly and author of the highly regarded The Rhodes Cook Letter, Cook is one of the true authoritative sources on the presidential nominating process. This short book is jam-packed with important information on the nominating process, placing it in both historical and comparative perspective. Cook traces the historical development of the nominating process from the early days of congressional caucus nominations to the development and proliferation of presidential primary elections. In doing so, he points out both the strengths and the many weaknesses of the process. Cook also performs a great service for readers by briefly comparing how the United States selects its leaders with the nominating methods of countries such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Mexico, and Israel (this alone makes the book a valuable contribution). This truly outstanding work draws the reader into a complex web of money, primaries, and politics, offering suggestions for reform but holding out only slim hopes that the reforms will either be enacted or effective.-Michael A. Genovese Loyola Marymount Univ., Los Angeles Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal