From Boston Harbor to Zuccotti Park: A Study of Economic Change and Social Movement Mobilization in the United States
Open Access
Author:
Stinely, Marina V
Area of Honors:
Political Science
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Dr. Lee Ann Banaszak, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Gretchen G Casper, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Political Science Social Movements
Abstract:
This study analyzes how macroeconomic change influences social movement mobilization. Specifically, I analyze all social movements in the United States that were reported by the New York Times from 1960-1995. I utilize two competing theories of social movement phenomena, strain theory and resource mobilization theory, to explain the possible relationship. My findings consistently negate my hypotheses associated with strain theory. In contrast, I find significant results that resource mobilization theory explains the relationship between macroeconomic change and social movement mobilization, except when looking at changing unemployment and number of social movement organizations involved in protest activity. These findings have important implications for scholars in the fields of sociology, economics, and political science, among others, and can be helpful for organizers and activists attempting to mobilize people and resources to affect meaningful change.
