Social Movements

More about the book

Now in its third edition, this market-leading introductory text on collective action in contemporary society draws from theory-driven, systematic empirical research across the social sciences to address key questions and concepts in the field. The reader-friendly chapters provide critical analyses of relevant literature while exploring significant issues and debates. Since its initial publication, the global political landscape has seen major changes, including the rise of online protests, nationalist and right-wing movements, global revolts, and heightened social and economic polarization. This updated edition includes fresh discussions on recent social movements against austerity worldwide, new empirical examples, and references to recent episodes of contention. It also expands the comparative approach to social movement theory in the literature. The text empirically and engagingly explores contemporary social movements, covering topics such as organization within movements, impactful protests, political opportunities, and the roles of symbolism and identity in collective action. It highlights how core mechanisms of collective action function across different movements, both past and present, and provides a conceptual methodology valuable for social science students and researchers alike.