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Social movement and its characteristics

Saurav Puri

BN200347

HUM 201: History of social movements

Kings College

Professor: Amod Pyakuryal

January 7th, 2023

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Social movement and its characteristics

Imagination plays a key role in determining the success of social movement (Hawlina,

2020). Social movements refers to the common goal of the group of people who are attempting

to create a change which are organized and purposeful to resist the change which create a social

chance. Social movements tend to occur when there is dysfunction within the relationship of the

system. Day to day interaction of social movement is the meanings which individuals put in

order to have a perspective of it. For instance, social movement can be created through the

feeling of discontent and deprivation. Moreover, a social movement is carried out in order to

support a social goal which can be the implementation or the prevention of a certain change.

Social movement can be different in sizes but all these are collective (Hensmans, 2018). This is

not defined by the rules and regulations but is more defined by the people sharing a common

outlook.

To understand social movement in more meaningful way, approach framework does help

as it provides meaning to the fact and can also be a valuable guide for the individuals who are

active towards social movements. For instance, there are different approaches of studying social

movements such as cognitive, multilevel and behavioral but it is least used by people to

understand the social movement. Talking about the Marxist theory, it is about the constant

making and unmaking of the social structure of human capacities and needs. Human being tend

to articulate and seek to meet with their needs by deploying intellectual, practical and semiotic

capacities within evolving social formations which are historic where the satisfaction will lead to

the first need which leads to the second, third and so on. This new needs of production refers to

the first historic act because in order to satisfy the human needs, they must be able to cooperate

which creates social formation where they can do so but this limits itself because it exerts the
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pressure. Structure like these are not stable, contention between subaltern and dominant sub

groups often lead to change in a constant process.

Social movement occurs in different levels such as national, local and also in the global

stage. For the social movements to be classified and categorized, sociologist have addressed it by

considering it about what the movement wants to change by dividing it into four types such as :

alternative, redemptive, reformative and social revolutionary movements. Alternative

movements are movements that is more focused towards the specific changes and self-

improvement in the belief of individuals and behaviors. Redemptive movement refers to the

focus meaning seek on the specific segmented number of people and the main aim is to promote

inner change and spiritual growth in individuals. Reformative social movement tends to seek

changes in social culture which is specific. The change might be limited but they target the

whole population. Reformative social movements such as suffrage movement for women, black

Friday and so on. Talking about the revolutionary movement, it seeks to change completely

every single aspect of the society in more of a dramatic way. For instance, the civil rights

movement and political movement.

Social movement provide a lens though which the implementation can be viewed

(Grinspun, 2022). There are various helpful categories which helps it to describe more about the

different types of social movement such as scope where it defines the movement whether it is

more of a radical or a reform movement. Reform movement refers to the changing the rules,

regulations and the laws but in other hand, radical movement refers to changing the overall value

systems in a fundamental type. Examples of reform movements are green movement, me too

movement while the example of radical movement are the civil rights movement, jana andolan

and so on. A great deal of work must be put on to ensure the success of social movement
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(Fishman, 2016). Similarly, targets also play a crucial role in movements such as the group

focused movement’s influences groups or the society and an individual focused movements

seeks to affect the individual. Moreover, methods of work is also categorized such as peaceful

movements where there is no any violence act on the other hand, violent movement resorts

violent acts which seeks social change it may take a form of paramilitary or in worst case

terrorist organization.

Political, economic and social structure contribute towards the radical of social

movement. Majority of social movements are carried out to create ideas which are expected to be

acknowledged and implemented by the leaders of the ruling party. Social movement cannot be

considered as an individual action as it is a collective action. Social movement mechanisms can

be interconnected and varied accordingly. Social changes cause are diverse and it can be in both

long and short term. Different mechanisms can be combined and made a model of explanatory of

social change. Social movement itself is structured.

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References

Fishman, R. M. (2016, December). Mechanisms of Social Movement Success: Conversation,

Displacement and Disruption. Research gate. doi:10.3989/ris.2016.74.4.045

Grinspun, D. (2022, October). Exploring social movement concepts and actions in a knowledge

uptake and sustainability context: A concept analysis. Science Direct.

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2022.08.003

Hawlina, H. (2020, October). Imagination and social movements. Science Direct.

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.02.009

Hensmans, M. (2018, August). Social Movements. Research Gate.

doi:10.1002/9781119010722.iesc0163