Social Movements and American Political Institutions / Edition 1

by Anne N. Costain, Andrew S. McFarland, Lee Ann Banaszak, Jeffrey M. Berry, Paul Burstein

Overview

Social movements in the United States are important political actors because of their scale and duration, their generation of new ideas and understandings of existing problems, their ability to mobilize those who were previously passive citizens, and the impetus they provide for restructuring and broadening the agenda of American politics. This volume combines chapters by a distinguished group of social movement scholars, from both sociology and political science, who use perspectives ranging from political process theory to rational choice and collective action approaches to evaluate the functioning of institutions of American government and the public policies that they produce. A diverse group of movements and interests are featured: women, public interest, native America, the environment, the Christian Right, abortion, gay rights, and homelessness among them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780847683581
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/23/1998
Series:	People, Passions, and Power: Social Movements, Interest Organizations, and the P
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 8.94(h) x 0.79(d)

About the Author

Anne N. Costain is professor of political science at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Andrew S. McFarland is professor of political science at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 Theories of American Politics and Social Movements Chapter 3 Social Movements and Theories of American Politics Chapter 4 "The Very Excess of Democracy": State Building and Contentious Politics in America Chapter 5 Interest Organizations and the Study of Democratic Politics Part 6 Mobilization Chapter 7 Mobilizing Gay Activists Chapter 8 Mobilization at the Margins: Organizing by the Homeless Chapter 9 Use of the Initiative Process by Woman Suffrage Movements Part 10 Parties and Elections Chapter 11 Less than Conquerors: The Christian Right in State Republican Parties Chapter 12 Citizen Groups, Political Parties, and Electoral Coalitions Part 13 The Presidency and Congress Chapter 14 American Social Movements and Presidential Administrations Chapter 15 Women Lobby Congress Chapter 16 The Environmental Movement and Congress Part 17 Social Movements in Court Chapter 18 Social Movements and the Mobilization of Law Chapter 19 Litigation as Rebellion Chapter 20 Social Movements and Abortion Law Part 21 Conclusions Chapter 22 On the International Origins of Domestic Political Opportunities Chapter 23 Where Have All the Foils Gone? Competing Theories of Social Movements Chapter 24 Conclusions

Editorial Reviews

Fresh and original.

Perspectives in Political Science - Mack C. Shelley II

Solid interesting work.

Mobilization

Fresh and original.
— Mack C. Shelley II, Iowa State University

Perspectives In Political Science

Political scientists and a few sociologists synthesize research from the past two decades on social movement such as those for civil rights, women, the environment, and Protestant fundamentalism, and demonstrate how the findings can be applied to the study of US politics. The 17 studies progress from broad questions about how theories of American institutions might be changed by the approach, to focused applications of current social movement theory to particular institutions. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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