Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Polit

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The very same movement in response to roughly the same stimuli can result in completely different outcomes. Compare the results in Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria, where from very similar beginnings in roughly the same cultural context, the end result was revolution, repression, or a horribly destructive civil war. The author does seem to have a pretty good idea of how social movements operate internally and also how they at least get to first base. We have some clues, but there are no ironclad laws that dictate the success or failure of a social movement.

Social Movements and Contentious Politics

The book was academic but clearly written. Part I discusses the history of the modern social movement, starting with the French Revolution and the development of basic repertoires of protest like demonstrations and the use of barricades. Part II was the most useful to me. He discusses the four powers in social movements: Part III has to do with the dynamics of contention, how these different moving parts are involved in actual cycles of contention.

Part III was clearly written and very relevant if you want to be able to know whether a movement will succeed. There were several interesting conclusions. The exact effect of social movements on the world is not clearly understood and is not always obvious, even when the social movements make a great impact in the news.

Often, what happens is that social movements become institutionalized — the authorities grant this or that aspect of their program, based on their own analysis of the situation. This was an interesting and useful book which I would recommend to general readers on the subject of social change and social movements. Although the subtitle says "Social Movements," the subject of this book is much broader including revolutions, elections and everything in-between.

Divided in three parts, the book begins with "The Birth of the Modern Social Movement," a very readable and at times exciting opener. The second part, though, "Powers in Movement," was rather dry: The author spends a lot of time defining academic terms for things that already have names in real-people language, and the "neutral" and "objective" acade Although the subtitle says "Social Movements," the subject of this book is much broader including revolutions, elections and everything in-between. The author spends a lot of time defining academic terms for things that already have names in real-people language, and the "neutral" and "objective" academic stance made me wonder sometimes if the book wasn't ultimately in support of the status quo Together with the conclusion, this last bit takes the raw material of the first two thirds and offers interesting models to use when thinking about political and social struggles and also suggests some areas where "the next generation" of researchers could make their mark.

I had been meaning to read this for a while, but I am glad I waited because this most recent edition incorporates Al Qaeda and other examples that belie the arguments made in past editions that soon all social movements will be easily integrated into legal frameworks and "transgressive" direct action would fade away. Still, a little more insider information and less of the 'subject-object feeling' would have lent this book more blood and sympathy.

Power in Movement

Tarrow is all about structure. His frameworks for understanding social movements are helpful, but sometimes I found myself disagreeing with him over what could be a social movement in his definition and what could not. Much of the book is largely theoretical, and in some parts he really goes into depth about his categorization and terminology opportunities, threats, repertoires, etc. I really appreciated, though, the way that he uses examples from all historical periods to illustrate these ca Tarrow is all about structure. Also, did you know that the term "boycott" came out of the Irish Land War and was taken from the name of a British land agent, Captain Boycott?

This book provides some useful basic conceptualizations in social movement studies - Tarrow is a big name.

A lot of the concepts don't translate very neatly to the rest of the world - like the Islamic resistance or South Asian peasant resistance. Would have enjoyed further exploration in people power mobilization in nondemo This book provides some useful basic conceptualizations in social movement studies - Tarrow is a big name.

Would have enjoyed further exploration in people power mobilization in nondemocracies. Highly recommended - as long as readers keep in mind there are alternative models to Tarrow's conceptualization of contentious politics. Dec 13, Drick rated it liked it Shelves: This book looks at the phenomena of "contentious politics" including social movements, revolutions, political parties and even terrorism. Scanning history for examples and drawing on the insights of numerous other social movement theorists like Tarrow to identify common practices and theoretical models. As such the book is highly academic and not only requires a working knowledge of the field, but also of historical examples from world history.

As such the book is not as accessbile to to the n This book looks at the phenomena of "contentious politics" including social movements, revolutions, political parties and even terrorism. As such the book is not as accessbile to to the non-academic social justice practitioner. I found many good insights but did not always understand the context in which he was talking All about political process theory but served neatly in a book format instead of a published article.

Tarrow draws on various historical examples to prove simple points and add flavor to his arguments, his language is very convincing and the emphasis on power structure serves as one of the foundations of PPT. I am still a Gurr fan, love the theory on relative deprivation, and wanted to see more of it in there. Also, too much structuralism is on board and culture's impact is r All about political process theory but served neatly in a book format instead of a published article.

Also, too much structuralism is on board and culture's impact is reduced. Feb 01, Kay Cid rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: I actually think that Tarrow did a great job in explaining social movement theory in such a simple fashion, unlike other authors that make reading theory sooo complicated, i would recommend it to organizers, it may bring in some light and help understanding the social phaenomena we work on everyday!! Feb 02, Omnibus rated it it was ok. Usual American bias, favouring Alinskyist, professionalised, business-like social movements that are theoretically and practically bankrupt.

Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics - Sidney G. Tarrow - Google Книги

Dec 19, Leif rated it really liked it. I don't know about the traction of the term contentious politics, but this is a good book. Jun 16, Manfred rated it liked it. French activists to the radical right and the radical left: Journal of Peace Research, Vol. Framing processes in planning disputes: The relational dynamics in a protest cycle for undocumented migrant rights. Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol. Mikkelsen, Flemming and Nyzell, Stefan The Quest for Sharia in Indonesia: Briscoe, Forrest and Safford, Sean Elite responses to contentious politics on the subnational level: Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, p.

Contribution, tensions, limitations and further development.

Economic and Industrial Democracy, Vol. The Urban Politics of Squatters' Movements.

Europeanisation and social movements: European Journal of Political Research,. Performance and Power in Social Movements: The Critical Nexus of Community and Organization.

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