Social movement theorizing has been invigorated in recent years by the contentious politics approach to studying political protest activity. In 2002, a conference sponsored by the Collective Behavior and Social Movements Section of the American Sociological Association was held at the University of Notre Dame to consider this development in the field. But the conference organizers also wanted to consider more broadly social movement research and theorizing. This means moving beyond a state-centered view of contentious politics and toward a more open definition of what phenonmena areis...

Part of the "Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change" series, this title contains three sections of data-driven articles that address topics central to scholarship on social movements and conflict resolution. It also showcases research on a variety of movements, organizations and conflicts in ways that contribute to theory-building.

This volume of "Research in Social Movements, Conflicts, and Change" investigates gendered aspects of social activism and peacebuilding, an area of research that continues to be undertheorized. Gender cuts across all forms of conflict and all aspects of society politically, economically, and socially. As a basic organizing principle in society, gender roles, relations, and inequalities impact social processes. From a gender perspective, the transformation of society requires investigating the overlapping and intertwined root causes of conflict from the interpersonal to the community and...

This latest volume in the august Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change series carries on a long tradition of featuring only the best data-driven and multi-method research upon which useful theory can be painstakingly built. Part one focuses on old and new media platforms and their intersections with mobilization issues, highlighting protest websites and the US Tea Party movement. Part two investigates the roles elites play in advancing movement campaigns for increased rights and decreased inequalities in the US and Peru. The third section spotlights best and worst practices in...