Pamela Oliver - Böcker

Bringing together leading scholars of social movements and protest, this volume offers an up-to-date overview of several of the key ethnic and racial movements in the contemporary United States. The organizations, strategies, and challenges of the Black Lives movement, mainstream Black organizations, the Mexican-American Dreamer groups, immigrant-rights mobilizations, Arab-American resistance, and White nationalism are all examined by situating them in a rapidly evolving and—in many ways—increasingly unfavorable state context. With empirical studies linked by their dialogue with theories of social movement and protest, and, in particular, recent trends that emphasize the dynamic relations among social movement groups and organizations, Racialized Protest and the State also considers the multiciplicity of state players and the roles of hostile civic actors who oppose the movements' challenges. A cutting-edge analysis of an increasingly important dimension of contentious politics in complex and diverse Western societies, this book will appeal to scholars of sociology and politics with interests in social movements, nonviolent resistance, protest campaigns, and ethnic mobilization.

Bringing together leading scholars of social movements and protest, this volume offers an up-to-date overview of several of the key ethnic and racial movements in the contemporary United States. The organizations, strategies, and challenges of the Black Lives movement, mainstream Black organizations, the Mexican-American Dreamer groups, immigrant-rights mobilizations, Arab-American resistance, and White nationalism are all examined by situating them in a rapidly evolving and—in many ways—increasingly unfavorable state context. With empirical studies linked by their dialogue with theories of social movement and protest, and, in particular, recent trends that emphasize the dynamic relations among social movement groups and organizations, Racialized Protest and the State also considers the multiciplicity of state players and the roles of hostile civic actors who oppose the movements' challenges. A cutting-edge analysis of an increasingly important dimension of contentious politics in complex and diverse Western societies, this book will appeal to scholars of sociology and politics with interests in social movements, nonviolent resistance, protest campaigns, and ethnic mobilization.

The problem of collective action is that each member of a group wants other members to make necessary sacrifices while he or she 'free rides', reaping the benefits of collective action without doing the work. Inevitably the end result is that no one does the work and the common interest is not realized. This book analyses the social pressure whereby groups solve the problem of collective action. The authors show that the problem of collective action requires a model of group process and cannot be deduced from simple models of individual behaviour. They employ formal mathematical models to emphasize the role of small subgroups of especially motivated individuals who form the 'critical mass' that sets collective action in motion. The book will be read with special interest by sociologists, social psychologists, economists and political scientists. It will also be of concern to those in industrial relations and communications research working on issues in collective action and rational choice.

The problem of collective action is that each member of a group wants other members to make necessary sacrifices while he or she 'free rides', reaping the benefits of collective action without doing the work. Inevitably the end result is that no one does the work and the common interest is not realized. This book analyses the social pressure whereby groups solve the problem of collective action. The authors show that the problem of collective action requires a model of group process and cannot be deduced from simple models of individual behaviour. They employ formal mathematical models to emphasize the role of small subgroups of especially motivated individuals who form the 'critical mass' that sets collective action in motion. The book will be read with special interest by sociologists, social psychologists, economists and political scientists. It will also be of concern to those in industrial relations and communications research working on issues in collective action and rational choice.

Tens of thousands of mostly younger Black people went to rural Louisiana in 2007 to support the Jena 6, Black students who were overcharged after a school fight. We examine the construction of two narratives. The powerful Jena 6 narrative told how the conflict began when nooses were hung on the school grounds, linking historic racial violence to modern injustice. This narrative emphasized student agency and downplayed documented adult actions. A second narrative about organizing the campaign incorrectly said that existing organizations had ignored the case. We use published sources to trace the ordinary processes as activists, journalists, and organizations became involved in the campaign through three phases - regional organizing, nationalization, scale shift to cascade. In the last phase, many saw this as a historic reinvigoration of the Black movement. Circulating narratives inspired participation by stressing youthful agency and spontaneity. More accurate accounts are better for theory and action.

Tens of thousands of mostly younger Black people went to rural Louisiana in 2007 to support the Jena 6, Black students who were overcharged after a school fight. We examine the construction of two narratives. The powerful Jena 6 narrative told how the conflict began when nooses were hung on the school grounds, linking historic racial violence to modern injustice. This narrative emphasized student agency and downplayed documented adult actions. A second narrative about organizing the campaign incorrectly said that existing organizations had ignored the case. We use published sources to trace the ordinary processes as activists, journalists, and organizations became involved in the campaign through three phases - regional organizing, nationalization, scale shift to cascade. In the last phase, many saw this as a historic reinvigoration of the Black movement. Circulating narratives inspired participation by stressing youthful agency and spontaneity. More accurate accounts are better for theory and action.