Social Movements - Syllabus

SOCIOLOGY INDEX
Social Movements and Collective Behavior - uga.edu - Spring 2006
SOCI 3250
Instructor and Contact Information: Elizabeth Cherry, M.A.
Email: lcherry@uga.edu and elizcherry@gmail.com
Course Website and Listserv: http://webct.uga.edu

Course Overview and Objectives:
The subfield of social movements and collective behavior is unusual, in that it is not clearly or consistently defined. In fact, it most often appears to be two subfields, rather than one. “Collective behavior” originally referred to spontaneous, emergent actions such as crowd behavior or panics and included topics such as fads, fashions, rumors, mass hysterias, and social movements. However, since their rapid proliferation in the 1960s, social movements have become, for many analysts, a separate area of study from collective behavior.
The study of social movements is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing fields in sociology, and thus this course will cover social movements in more detail and depth than collective behavior. We will begin with an overview of collective behavior, plotting the course of the subfield and its relation to the study of social movements. We will then move on to cover theoretical, historical, and empirical studies of social movements throughout the 20th century.
The main objective of this course is to situate social movements within the larger context of social, cultural, and political change. You will also gain an understanding of theories of why and how people come to participate in social movements, how internal and external structures create opportunities for and threats to social movements, the role of culture and identity in newer social movements, as well as the nuts and bolts of social movements—their strategies, tactics, goals, and outcomes.
In working toward these objectives, you will also have the opportunity to improve upon your sociological reading, writing, and research skills. Writing and researching as a sociologist is different from writing and researching as an English major, for example, thus in this course we will not only work toward gaining an understanding of the topic at hand, but we will also strive to improve your skills as sociology majors. These skills should also be of use in your other classes as well as in your careers.

Social Movements and Collective Behavior - uga.edu - Spring 2006 - Required Texts and Readings:
1) Marx, Gary and Douglas McAdam. 1994. Collective Behavior and Social Movements: Process and Structure. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
2) Goodwin, Jeff and James

Social Movement Portfolio
The major portion of your grade will be based on your independent research on a social movement of your choice. The case study will include three items that you will complete throughout the semester. At the end of the semester, you will turn in your entire portfolio and you will have the opportunity to present your findings to your classmates.
Below is a list of suggested movements to study. These movements are all pre-approved for the case study; if you are interested in studying a movement that is not on this list, I must approve it before you turn in any work on this movement.

Pre-approved Movements
1) Animal Rights
2) Anti-Abortion (“pro-life”)
3) Anti-Nuclear
4) Black/African-American
5) Chicano/a
6) Civil Rights
7) Environmental
8) Gay and Lesbian Rights
9) Indigenous
10) Labor
11) Militia
12) Movements to Combat AIDS
13) Peace
14) Reproductive Rights (“pro-choice”)
15) Revolutionary
16) Welfare Rights
17) White Supremacy
18) Women/Feminist

PART 1: COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR
Week 1
Introduction to course, review syllabus
The sociological study of CBSM MM 1
Crowd Behavior MM 2
Week 2
Introduction to theories of mobilization MM 4

PART 2: SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND ACTIVISTS—THEORIES OF MOBILIZATION
Week 3
Political Process GJ Part II intro, GJ 2
Film and theory application exercise
Political Opportunities GJ 5
PORTFOLIO MOVEMENT CHOICE DUE
Week 4
Framing Processes GJ Part III intro, C 1
Framing activity
Social Networks GJ 6
Week 5
Moral Shocks C 2
Review of theories, discuss SM portfolios

PART 3: STRUCTURES—INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
Week 6
Resource Mobilization GJ Part VI intro, GJ 16
Affinity Groups GJ 19
Diffuse Cultural Movements C 3
Week 7
External Opportunities C 4
External Threats GJ 27
Film and theory application exercise

PART 4: IDENTITY, CULTURE, AND DISCOURSE
Week 8
Collective Identity GJ Part IV intro, GJ 11
Exclusions C 5
Film and theory application exercise
Week 9
Cultural Influences and Impacts C 6
Discourse C 7
Film and theory application exercise
Week 11
Music and Mobilization C 8
Music and Commitment C 9
In-class film (full-length)

PART 5: WHAT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS DO—STRATEGIES, TACTICS, AND OUTCOMES
Week 13
Introduction MM p107-114
Tactical Innovation GJ Part VII Intro, GJ 21
Tactical Innovation Exercise
Week 14
Strategies GJ 22
Tactical Choices C 10
Movement Successes GJ Part X Intro, GJ 31
Week 15
Unintended Outcomes C 11
Movement Decline C 12
Closing comments on Social Movements