Social Movements: A Cognitive Approach

by Ron Eyerman, Andrew Jamison

This book offers a new approach to the study of social movements. Integrating American and European approaches, Eyerman and Jamison argue that social movements are forms of activity whereby individuals create new kinds of social identities not only for themselves but for the societies of which they form a part. They examine the success and failure of social movements in comparative terms, both between historical periods and political cultures, giving special attention to the American civil rights movement, environmental movements, and recent form of collective protest in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The result is a study which develops major theoretical innovations as well as integrating a wide range of empirical material.

Genres: Nonfiction

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eyerman proposes that social movements are not only a way to challenge established systems of power, but also tools for the social construction of new perspectives. Social movements question and bring awareness to existing inequalities and social problems, and provide a place for the discussion of new perspectives and ideas that can be refined through the ongoing dialog that follows. The dynamic nature of social movements generates identities and knowledge that forms the central identity or core themes of the movement, which are then communicated outward into general society. This is an important and relevant new perspective in social theory and should be read by all serious students of social movements.