Social Movements: A Means of Classifying Types of Social Movements in Terms of Organization

a.      Potential members must define the situation- see movement goals outside everyday life…. They begin to label the situation as unordinary unusual, extra-ordinary….

The Nature of Collective Behaviour   The question of form….ideal type….pure case….  Social Movements are organized, rational, purposive. Initial development resemble collective behaviour but SMs move beyond this through organization

b.     Second Social Movements require a suspension of the attitude of everyday life by relatively large numbers of people

c.    They must be  accompanied by action defined by participants and observers …

d.     Finally, suspension of usual attitudes must be accompanied by heightened emotional arousal

Somehow social movement must move beyond the normal, normative day to day activities Member must become mobilized in search of goal….

Social Movement Theory Contagion, convergence, emergent norm and rational calculus views have limited understanding

Social Movement Theory What is required is a comprehensive approach that allows for more complex and variable forms to be considered under the study of collective behaviour.

Social movement- SMs are conscious and purposive structure types of collective behaviour. They contrast with other collective behaviour forms such as crowds, crazes…which represent only incipient stages of on-going social movements.

Few studies exist of social movements as complex organizations 

…Social movements are complex- They require leadership Information Hierarchy Commitment On-going progress

Example:Orange Movement =Orange Lodge-Orange Lodge was charitable organization that helped in coming Protestants in Ontario, Instrumental in Providing Charity before the Welfare State, Important for Schools-ie Oliver Mowat.

Social movements embody a structure of: a.      roles b.     positions c.      norms d.     values e.      leadership  

Key Variables     Organization Goals-inward (expressive) or outward (instrumental) Conditions for membership-recruiting, screening, rewards

Inclusive Organizations OUTWARD  -do not have rigorous screening -minimal levels of initial commitment -short indoctrination periods

Exclusive Organization  Inward -rigorous controls -requires recruits to subject themselves to organizational discipline, orders, heavy initial commitment  

Mixed Organizations Purposes varied: -reveals a sharing of diverse goals- difference often between leadership and membership The goals of the organization are unclear

Incentives for Participation   1.     Solidarity types-association, socializing, congeniality, sense of group membership, identification 2.     Purposive types-intangible but they derive from stated ends of the association rather than from the simple act of associating 3. Functional types -Goals, Environments, Internal Structure

Conclusion Social Movements are associated with a vortex of social change… Studies of the structure, function, and dynamics of such organizations can contribute to overall study of how society resists and implements change

. Resource Mobilization and Social Movements:  The most useful so far has been: The resource mobilization approach emphasizes both societal support and constraint of social movement phenomena.  

Resource Mobilization Emphasizes:   links to other groups dependence on external support tactics used by authorities to control and incorporate social movements

R.M. =Conflict Theory   The approach emphasizes political economic rather than social psychology…

Smelser, Turner and Killian, show that the ability or inability of societies to reduce grievances is key to understanding the foundation of Social Movement.

Summary The discontent in the social order, problems with the existing social structure are all key in understanding whether or not a social movement can become organized.

Early Mobilzation of Social A stage when issues and goals become formulated, collective action is shaped. Two key processes revolve around power, leadership and hierarchy 

Initially Leadership roles must undergo elaboration   Intiation by Charismatic leader and other appointments  Weber SM require charismatic authority to gain momentum.

Forms of Authority- According to Max Weber’s ideal types there have been three major forms authority include: Charismatic, Traditional, Rational legal.

Charismatic authority a.      Charismatic authority- is defined as power legitimated by.. Extraordinary personal abilities that inspire devotion and obedience. Ie. Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Martin Luther

Charisma `the cult of personality’ Examples: Jesus Christ, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Trudeau in Canada Charismatic movements are very dependent on their leaders. Long term persistence of the movement requires the routinization of charisma.    

Ie. Christianity For example, Christ the charismatic leader dies. But Christ’s charisma was routinized in the traditions and bureaucratic structure of the Roman Catholic Church. Protestant Reformation=rational legal authority

Traditional Authority- Traditional Authority-power legitimated by respect for long-established cultural patterns. Traditional authority -ritual, repetitive behaviour, it is bond by numerous social norms as opposed to formalized rules and laws.

Traditional authority declines Traditional authority declines as pre-industrial societies give way to industrialized social forms. Yet traditional authority can remain in rational legal systems… I.e parental domination over children, male domination of women.

Rational Legal Authority Modern authority is legitimated through rational laws and regulations. Modern authority is carried out through bureaucratic means. Modern power imprisons man like an iron cage…

Social Movement Org. Differ Member oriented –I.e religious community Action oriented Mainstream vs. subcultural values Membership compliance-pure ideologists, backsliders,  

Achievement Based Upon: Focus whether the collectivity pursues change in the existing order-social, political moral Direction - service to membership (AA)  

Public opinion- whether the climate of public opinion is favourable or unfavourable] Concentration-social or member issues vs. public opinion Clear External Target-seeking additional public support, greater resources, larger membership

Public Support for Cultish Groups ie Public Support for Cultish Groups ie. Moonies-deprogramming, programming,  

Exclusion vs. Inclusion -Exclusive movement -member serving, influence peddling, strategies of secrecy, isolation, strict boundaries. Social control through isolation and socialization,  

Inclusive Inclusive -People Serving Groups favourable environmental support- self improvement groups lifestyle change groups. Simpler strategies, more evolutionary in nature.