1,721,131 research outputs found
Double edged swords? Collective identity and solidarity in the environment movement
No full textPerhaps by virtue of its theoretical slipperiness, collective identity is often hailed as an important feature of social movements for the role it plays in unifying activists and organizations, and so helping them to develop shared concerns and engage in collective action. However, this paper argues that collective identity is the result of group rather than movement level processes, and although it can unite activists within a single movement organization, it is not always beneficial for the broader social movement. Although movements consist of networks of activists and organizations that have a broad shared concern, differing collective identities within the movement can actually be quite divisive. Based on case studies of three organizations in the environmental movement, this paper shows that activists who are most committed to an organization with an encompassing collective identity develop a strong sense of solidarity with other activists similarly committed to that organization. The resultant solidarity leads to the construction of a 'we–them' dichotomy between organizations within the same movement, increasing the chances of hostility between organizations and factions within the movement
Unblocking the pathway to effective use of blockmodels in social movement research
No full textKey studies of social movement networks use block modelling to uncover movement network structures. Whilst it is promising to see mathematical sociology techniques applied to social movement studies, there are grounds for engendering a closer connection between these two fields of study. The mathematical sociology literature recommends, for example, that analyzed networks should be complete and relatively dense, some degree of deduction should be applied to select the ‘best’ model, levels of equivalence and / or error scores should be specified, and reliable and appropriate algorithms and levels of equivalence should be carefully selected. Some dilemmas involved in block modelling analysis are demonstrated through block modelling analysis of inter-organizational networking in Friends of the Earth International (FoEI)
It's not just structural: social movements are not homogenous responses to structural features, but networks shaped by organisational strategies and status
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Exploring relational and positional approaches to network analysis: interorganisational networking in Friends of the Earth International
No full textSurvey of climate protest, London, December 2008
No full textResults of survey of protesters in the International Day of Action on Climate Change, London, 06 December 2008. Both the interview schedule and the data file are included in this dataset.</span
Reformism and radicalism in the Climate Camp in Britain: Benign coexistence, tensions and prospects for bridging
No full textUsing data from in-depth interviews of Climate Campers attending the Kingsnorth 2008 Camp, participant observation and documents written by participants, this article illustrates the tension that developed between reformists and radicals within the Climate Camp in Britain. It finds that, contrary to surface appearances and expectations gleaned from previous studies of environmental direct action groups, Climate Campers do not share a radical approach. The consequent drift towards reformism has caused tension and has undoubtedly contributed to the demise of Climate Camp as a national network. One way to avoid future tension might be for all participants to recognise the value of a multi-pronged approach to solving climate change. Allowing the Camp to act as a bridging organisation would reduce potential for fragmentation and collapse
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