From the 1980s onwards a constructivist viewpoint has developed within the sociology of social movements. This new position is characterized by a multitude of different and partly contradictory meanings. Further discussion of some of the key issues within this perspective is needed in order to understand more precisely how social movements and movement organizations are constructed. Two basic elements of constructivist analysis are proposed: the capacity of movement organizations to construct a powerful identity and effective strategies, and the given opportunities in society to defend or advance the ideology of the movement organizations. The conclusion is that such a conceptual framework could further our understanding of the internal and external factors which produce what we know as movement organizations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bartholomew, A. & Mayer, M.1992. Nomads of the Present: Melucci's Contribution to 'New Social Movement' TheoryTheory, Culture and Society9, 141-159.
2.
Berger, P. & Luckmann, T.1966. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of KnowledgeNew York: Doubleday.
3.
Blumer, H.1969. Social Movements In B. McLaughlin (ed.), Studies in Social Movements. A social psychological perspective , pp. 8-29. New York: The Free Press.
4.
Brand, K-W.1990. Cyclical Aspects of New Social Movements: Waves of Cultural Criticism and Mobilization Cycles of New Middle-class Radicalism In R. J. Dalton & M. Kuechler (eds), Challenging the Political Order: New Social and Political Movements in Western Democracies, pp. 23-42. Cambridge: Polity Press.
5.
Crook, S. et al.1992. Postmodernization. Change in Advanced Society{rm} , London: Sage.
6.
Dalton, R.J. & Kuechler, M.1990. Challenging the Political Order: New Social and Political Movements in Western DemocraciesCambridge: Polity Press.
7.
Dowie, M.1995. Losing Ground. American Environmentalism at the Close of the Twentieth CenturyCambridge, Massachusetts : MIT Press.
8.
Drescher, G.L.1991. Made-Up Minds. A Constructivist Approach to Artificial IntelligenceLondon, Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press.
9.
Eder, K.1985. The New Social Movements: Moral Crusades, Political Pressure Groups or Social Movements?Social Research52.
10.
Eisinger, P.K.1973. The Conditions of Protest Behavior in American CitiesAmerican Political Science Review67, 21-37.
11.
Eyerman, R. & Jamison, A.1989. Environmental Knowledge as an Organizational Weapon: The Case of GreenpeaceSocial Science Information2, 101-121.
12.
Eyerman, R. & Jamison, A.1991. Social Movements. A Cognitive ApproachCambridge: Polity Press.
13.
Feffer, M.1988. Radical Constructionism. Rethinking the Dynamics of DevelopmentNew York, London: Doubleday.
14.
Friberg, M.1988. Three Waves of Political Mobilization in Western Europe and the Coming of the Fourth In M. Friberg (ed.), New Social Movements in Western Europe.Göteborg : Göteborg Universitet.
15.
Gamson, W.A.1988. Political Discourse and Collective Action In B. Klandermans (ed.), International Social Movement Research. From Structure to Action: Comparing Movement Participation Across Cultures.Greenwich: Conn .
16.
Gamson, W. & Modigliani, A.1989. Media Discourse and Public Opinion on Nuclear Power. A Constructionist ApproachAmerican Journal of Sociology95, 1-37.
17.
Gerhards, J. & Rucht, D.1993. Mesomobilization: Organizing and Framing in Two Protest Campaigns in West GermanyAmerican Journal of Sociology98, 555-596.
18.
Gibbins, J. R. (ed.) 1989. Contemporary Political Culture. Politics in a Postmodern Age.London: Sage.
19.
Giddens, A.1984. The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of StructurationCambridge: Polity Press.
20.
Gorz, A.1982. Farewell to the Working ClassLondon : George Allen & Unwin.
21.
Gramsci, A.1971. Selections from Prison NotebooksLondon : Oxford University Press.
22.
Habermas, J.1981. Theorie des Kommunikativen HandelnsFrankfurt : Suhrkamp.
23.
Hjelmar, U.1995. The Political Practice of Environmental OrganizationsAldershot: Avebury.
24.
Inglehart, R.1977. The Silent Revolution: Changing Values and Political Styles Among Western PublicsPrinceton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
25.
Jamison, A., Eyerman, R. & Cramer, J. (with Læssøe, J.) 1990. The Making of the New Environmental Consciousness. A Comparative Study of the Environmental Movements in Sweden, Denmark and the NetherlandsEdinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
26.
Joppke, C.1993. Mobilizing Against Nuclear Energy. A Comparison of Germany and the USABerkeley: University of California Press.
27.
Katzenstein, M. & Mueller, C. (eds) 1987. The Women's Movements of the US and Western Europe.Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
28.
Kitschelt, H.1986. Political Opportunity and Political Protest: AntiNuclear Movements in Four DemocraciesBritish Journal of Political Science16, 31-44.
29.
Kitschelt, H.1991. Resource Mobilization Theory: A Critique In D. Rucht (ed.), Research on Social Movements , pp. 323-347. Frankfurt : Campus Verlag.
30.
Klandermans, B. et al. (ed.) 1988. International Social Movement Research. From Structure to Action: Comparing Social Movement Research Across Cultures.London: JAI Press .
31.
Klandermans, B.1991. New Social Movements and Resource Mobilization: The European and the American Approach Revisited In D. Rucht, (ed.), Research on Social Movements, pp. 17-46. Frankfurt : Campus Verlag.
32.
Koopmans, R. & Rucht, D.1995. Political Regimes and Social Movements: The Impact of Democratic Structures on Social Movement MobilizationPaper presented at the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Washington, August 19-23.
33.
Kriesi, H. et al.1992. New Social Movements and Political Opportunities in Western EuropeEuropean Journal of Political Research22, 219-244.
34.
Lowe, P. & Goyder, J.1983. Environmental Groups in PoliticsLondon: George Allen & Unwin.
35.
Melucci, A.1989. Nomads of the Present: Social Movements and Individual Needs in Contemporary SocietyLondon: George Allen & Unwin.
36.
Neidhardt, F. & Rucht, D.1991. The Analysis of Social Movements: The State of the Art and Some Perspectives for Further Research In D. Rucht (ed.), Research on Social Movements, pp. 421-460. Frankfurt: Campus Verlag.
37.
Offe, C.1985. New Social Movements: Challenging the Boundaries of Institutional PoliticsSocial Research52, 51-64.
38.
Park, R.E. & Burgess, E.W.1921. Introduction to the Science of SocietyChicago: University of Chicago Press.
39.
Piven, F.F. & Cloward, R.A.1977. Poor People's Movements: Why they Succeed, How They FailNew York: Pantheon.
40.
Rosenau, P.1992. Post-modernists and the Social SciencesPrinceton : Princeton University Press .
41.
Rucht, D.1991. Sociological Theory as a Theory of Social Movements ? A Critique of Alain Touraine In D. Rucht (ed.), Research on Social Movements, pp. 355-384. Frankfurt: Campus Verlag.
42.
Sarbin, T.R. & Kitsuse, J.I.1994. Constructing the SocialLondon : Sage.
43.
Snow, D. & Benford, R.D.1988. Ideology, Frame Resonance, and Participant Mobilization In B. Klandermans (ed.), International Social Movement Research. From Structure to Action, London : JAI Press.
44.
Snow, D. et al.1986. Frame Alignment Processes, Micromobilization, and Movement ParticipationAmerican Sociological Review51, 464-481.
45.
Tarrow, S.1988. National Politics and Collective Action: Recent Theory and Research in Western Europe and the United StatesAnnual Review of Sociology, no. 14.
46.
Tarrow, S.1991. Political Opportunity Structures In D. Rucht (ed.), Research on Social Movements , pp. 386-413. Frankfurt: Campur Verlag.
47.
Tarrow, S.1995. States and Changing OpportunitiesPaper presented at the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Washington, August 19-23.
48.
Tilly, C. et al.1975. The Rebellious CenturyLondon : J. M. Dent.
49.
Tilly, C.1978. From Mobilization to RevolutionReading, Massachusetts : Addison-Wesley.
50.
Touraine, A.1981. The Voice and the Eye. An Analysis of Social MovementsCambridge: Cambridge University Press.
51.
Turner, T.1990. Wild by LawSan Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
52.
Van der Heijden, H-A. et al.1992. The West European Environmental Movement. In Research in Social Movements Conflicts and Change, Supplement 2. London: JAI Press.
53.
Wilson, G.K.1981. Interest Groups in the United StatesOxford: Oxford University Press.
54.
Wilson, G.K.1990. Interest GroupsOxford: Oxford University Press.
55.
Wooton, G.1970. Interest GroupsEnglewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
56.
Zald, M.N. & McCarthy, J.1987. Social Movements in an Organizational Society: Collected EssaysNew Brunswick: Transaction .
