Frameworks for Conceptualizing the US Political
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Complex
Social Movement Theories
Complex Social Movement Theories
An increasing number of progressive social scientists and analysts reject
centrist/extremist theory and use a different set of theories to explain
how social movements work. 17 As
Christian Smith observes:
=== "The 1970s saw a major break in the social-movement literature
with earlier theories-e.g., mass society, collective behavior, status discontent,
and relative-deprivation theories-that emphasized the irrational and emotional
nature of social movements.....There was at the time a decisive pendulum-swing
away from these "classical" theories toward the view of social movements as
rational, strategically calculating, politically instrumental phenomena."18
Think of complex social movement theory as a collection of similar theories
nurtured by the scientific method and dialectical analysis.
One synthesis of several social movement theories sees all mass movements
arising through a combination of four related factors:
_ A discontented group of politicized persons who have grievances they wish
addressed. _ A core group of strategic leaders and local activists that effectively
mobilize the politicized persons. _ The recruitment of politicized persons
into the movement through pre-existing social networks. _ The availability
of opportunities in the social and political environment exploitable by movement
leaders and activists. 19
A number of authors have applied various social movement theories to the US
political right. This reaction against centrist/extremist theory first gained
widespread attention with the publication of Michael Rogin's 1967 book The
Intellectuals and McCarthy: The Radical Specter.20 Sara
Diamond's far-reaching study: Roads to Dominion: Right-Wing Movements and
Political Power in the United States provides the first comprehensive analysis
of the full range of right wing movements.21
A related precursor to social movement theory is power structure research,
a systemic analysis that looks at the role of institutions and power blocs
in society.22
Social movement theory provides a useful analytical model for studying movements
of the right, especially right-wing mass movements that promote conspiracist
scapegoating.23 Unlike
countersubversion theory and centrist/extremist theory, social movement theory
allows for the consideration of the following important factors in studying
and organizing against right-wing conspiracist mass movements:
Public and private institutions (including public agencies) that promote or
tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, and other forms of supremacy.
State action, especially our country's long history of government intelligence
abuse, police brutality, and political repression, which usually is aimed at
progressive social change activists and which historically has had more injurious
and lethal consequences for people of color.
Corporate economic interests and the complex effects of competing or cooperating
business sectors.
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