FINAL Flashcards
What does the literature of media and power focus on?
-This literature focuses on the power of ideas- how is that ideas spread through population can affect the power of actors
How does the media and power literature sees the media?
•Usually sees the media as a source of the third face of power (shaping ideas)
–Hidden, controls what subjects people think about, what they think about these subjects
–Empowers those who are controlling the media’s message (interest groups using the media to get their ideas across- which can be a strong basis/source of power)
What is “the media” ? What does it depend on?
- Definition: Main means of mass communication
* Technology: Media depend on the technologies that allow us to spread messages among large populations
How did the media evolve through time ? (4 phases )
•Throughout most of human history, talking was the only means of communication
•Writing: Caused the first real media revolution, although it was originally very limited in numbers
–Needed printing press and education to reach the masses (hand written was time consuming and reading requires a literate audience)
•Telegraph, radio, television
•New Media: Internet, computers, and cellphone
Scholars who look at the mass media, look at how technology allows us to reach new audiences in new ways
Who is Edward Said
- Palestinian, moved to Egypt, lived in the US (1935-2003)
- Literary theorist
- Helped to revolutionalize literary studies
- Most famous (and influential) work is Orientalism (1978)–Deals with discourses and power in literature
What is a discourse ? how is media relevant to it ?
•Discourse: Difficult to define but deals with ideal representations of the social world -media is an important mean of proliferating discourses
What is an example of a discourse ?
“Damsel in distress”
What does Said suggest about discourses?
–Suggests that these depictions are not natural and unbiased. In composing discourses, the creators highlight their opinions.
•They are human constructs of the powerful
–Said says such discourses are powerful and commonly negatively affect the power of those depicted
How does Foucault and Said differ ?
•Different from Foucault (who thought power was dispersed***), believe powerful actors with particular interests commonly create and maintain discourses for instrumental purposes (discourses as basis of power)
How is media important for Said ?
Said believed that the print media has played a very important role popularizing discourses
• Media allows people to spread ideas to large numbers of people
• Commonly creates a biased representation of certain categories of people
What happens once a discourse is popularized?
–Once these discourses are popularized, they can create a life of their own and can become very influential to our perceptions of ourselves, of others, of the world and shape how we act
How does Said see discourses in relation to reality ?
Said does not deny that discourses can be based in part on aspects of reality
•That being said, he sees them as human constructs that are influenced by our interests and biases
Who creates discourses ?
Those with power create discourses that benefit themselves
What is orientalism ?
•Says that Europeans and North Americans have created and popularized a discourse about what the “Orient” is and what its peoples are like
What did Said do ? What did he claim ?
•To document this discourse, he analyzes the literature and travelogues on the “Orient” mainly in
the 19th century
–Does a discourse analysis- how is the oriental is represented in these works, highlighting the biases
–In his book, he documents a discourse that exoticizes “Orientals” and suggests that they are barbarians who are inferior to Europeans
•Emotional, autocratic, irrational, lazy, sensual
Where does power come in in orientalism ?
•Said says it contributed to colonialism
–Negative depictions of “Orientals” justified colonialism (discoursed used in the middle east that was talking about the lack of ability of these people to run societies as they need to so colonial power come in an teach them)
•Colonialism needed to uplift the “Orientals”
How is orientalism relevant today ? What have it shifted to ?
•Today, Said says this discourse has shifted to focus on violence, fundamentalism, and terrorism
–Promotes stereotypes that negatively affect the life chances of people
•Promotes discrimination and prejudice
•Contributes to hate crimes
–Informs policies that promote neo-colonialism- discourse are still shaping geo-politics
•Two Gulf Wars, American war in Afghanista
What is usually included in the definition of democracy ? Why?
Free media
Why is the media vital for democracy? — accountability , allowing the public to see choices, information, enhance participation (people need to know what the candidates standing for to make informed votes)
While the media is necessary for democracy, it can also be used to _________
obstruct democracy
How is the media used in autocratic regimes ? What does this lead to ?
- Rulers frequently control and manipulate the media in order to support the regime
–Opposite of a free media
–Causes extreme bias ( Rulers getting their views across, using control of information to bolster autocratic regime and prevent democracy)
– Limits opposition (preventing it to get its views across) by spreading information always in favour of the regime, saying how great it is
Media bias is also believed to be present in ________. what for ?
places that are relatively democratic.
Used to get views of powerful across
Why would some suggest that people can’t be brainwashed ?
They are smart. They will discern the bias and stay away from it.
In Dumitresco and Mughan view, what are the 3 ways media can affect voting ?
- What to think about = simple report
- Priming= this is important
- Framing= the perspective
Depict Dumitresco and Mughan first effect of media bias.
(1) What to Think About: Some studies find that the media can’t really influence what/how we think but it can influence what we think about
–By covering certain topics, it causes people to view these topics as important
Give an example of Dumitresco and Mughan first effect of media bias
•Crime Example: Constant covering of violent crime causes people to think it’s a problem
–Some studies find that no correlation between rate of violent crimes and media coverage of them
–Makes you thing crime is a growing problem when it is not
–More likely to vote for candidates who are hard on crime
If there is a bias in the media and what you think about will align you with a party over another - media influences politics in a significant way
Depict Dumitresco and Mughan second effect of media bias.
- (2) Priming: Media can influence us by emphasizing which issues are most important (which can benefit certain candidates over others)
- Can affect how we evaluate parties/candidates
Give an example of Dumitresco and Mughan second effect of media bias
•Crime: Media commonly reports that crime is a serious problem that needs to be addressed politically
–Primes you to think that it is
–Makes people more likely to vote for candidates who are hard on crime
-by priming the public towards political issues, it will benefit parties involved with the issue
Depict Dumitresco and Mughan third effect of media bias.
•(3) Framing: How media frames an issue. Media frames issues and this frame can spin the issues in different ways.
What does the framing of crime and poverty can lead to ?
•Crime and Poverty: Coverage of crime and poverty can frame them as individual issue or a public issue
–Individual frame places blame on individuals (need for incarceration, arrest..) ; public frame places blame on society (focus on social determinant)
–Different frames support views of different parties (conservative = individual, left-leaning= social element)
Give an example of Dumitresco and Mughan third effect of media bias
•KKK Example: Media can frame KKK rallies as freedom of speech or as disrupting public order
–One study found that framing affects what people think about whether KKK should be allowed to have rallies
-framing of issues leads to different perspective and interpretations which guides political choices
What comes into play when taking of bias towards candidates ?
what would happen if this bias was so subtle that people didn’t register it consciously
What were the methods of the The Peter Jennings Effect study ? What was the initial finding? What was the final finding ?
- Analyzed how the facial expressions of news anchors affected voting behaviour
- During the 1984 campaign, taped the nightly news broadcasters of the three big US TV networks when they discussed either Mondale or Reagan
- Showed the tapes to individuals and asked them to score the anchor’s facial expressions: favourable toward the candidate, neutral, or unfavourable
- Paid no attention to what was actually said
- Found that two commentators were neutral but Jennings was biased toward Reagan
•Polled individuals: asked which nightly news they watched and which candidate they preferred
•Found that Jennings’ viewers liked Reagan much more
Didn’t find that the material presented was biased, only the facial characteristics
Neutral content but facial bias which ultimately influenced public. This highlights how humans are subconsciously bias and that the bias of news reporter can influence viewer.
•Suggests very subtle things might bias our political views and support
What is the Peter Jennings effect ?
Jennings’ viewers liked Reagan much more
- based on subconscious facial characteristics bias
Can you think of any possible explanations a left-wing bias in the media?
- Education pushing a more left wing philosophy - which could influence journalist
- When you have a far right, everything looks like left
- Selection effect: what are the type of people who are likely to become journalists ?
What does Trump claim in terms of bias ?
Commonly claims that the media has a severe left-wing bias
–“Fake news”
–Seems to present it as a conspiracy
The most famous sociological theory of media bias suggests that __________
the media is biased to the right
Depict Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent. What does it suggest ?
- Written in 1988, focuses on print media as well as the second generation of mass media (TV)
- Suggest that five ‘filters’ promote systematic bias under capitalism
- No conspiracy theory; not saying that somebody is controlling
- Bias isn’t all powerful, but it promotes particular views that favour right-wing perspective
What is the first filter of media bias ? What are its two main components ?
Filter #1: Corporate Structure of the Media
•Big Business: Multi-billion affair, for profit. Media is run by capitalists for profit, controlled by people who are in the ‘inner circle’
–Promotes a pro-business perspective, less likely to support non-business interests
•Hyper-concentration: A few companies dominate the media in the US, Canada, and elsewhere
–Limits the number of sources and the views
•Examples from Canada
–Only 6 percent of newspapers were independently owned in 2017
–4 companies controlled 85% of TV revenue in 20
What is the second filter of media bias ? What does it imply ?
Filter #2: Advertisement Revenue
•Media companies depend on advertisement for the majority of their revenue
•Causes companies to court capitalists - to get them to make business with their company (so pro-business ideas are further present)
–Don’t want to scare potential clients away
–Need to have programs that will be watched by people who will buy products
What is the third filter of media bias ? What is an example ?
Filter #3: Flak
•Media won’t criticize/offend powerful groups because they’re worried about retaliation
–Loss of advertisement revenue
–Litigation
–Bad press
•Dan Rather Example: Reported that George W. Bush failed to participate in Texas National Guard during Vietnam War
–Rather forced to resign despite evidence against Bush
What is the fourth filter of media bias ? What does it imply ?
Filter #4: Sources
•Organizational elite are legitimate sources of information- the sources of media coming from the power elites will give the perspective of the power elites
–Media accepts there views as objective and correct
–Allows political and economic elite to get their elite opinions across
•Major companies have their own media divisions focused on spreading their views to the media
•Average Joe has to struggle to get message across but up against great obstacles
-powerful people get their views covered, not regular folks
What is the fifth filter of media bias ? What does it imply ?
Filter #5: Pro-Capitalist/Anti-Communist
•Capitalist media takes pro-capitalist view, especially during the cold war
•Influenced by a certain liberal capitalist ideology
•Praised everything capitalistic
•Denigrated anything socialistic
What do we mean by “changing media” ?
Tv and print media remain important sources of media but their influence are weakening. New social media are becoming very important
Depict the potential weakening of the 5 filters with new media ?
Deconcentration: social media and internet allowing for smaller media outlet
Advertisement: Netflix, HBO, Showtime, etc
Sources: New media allows anyone who wants to to get their view out
Flak: Doesn’t seem to be as powerful with the new media
Pro-Capitalism: Still there but not as extreme since end of cold war
what is a potential positive aspect of new media ?
If weakening filters, Herman and Chomsky would suggest the new media helps democracy
how can new media enhance democracy ?
More generally, democracy requires ability to spread diverse ideas, and the new media has more sources :
Makes it more difficult for any one actors to control the media
Allows a more diverse assortment of ideas to be spread through the media
What is Sustein claiming ? What could this lead to ?
Suggest theatre isn’t one general bias with social media but many biases, some extreme. New Media caters to particular views in ways that Polarization instead of unity.
Could contribute the break down of civil society, dealing with issues of integration
What view does sustain subscribe to ? on the contrary of what ?
Take more Durkheimian view of the media, contrary to more Marxist view of Herman and Chomsky
How was previous access to news choices ? What did that imply ?
Until recently, people’s choices for news were limited
A few newspaper, mags, Tv stations
General News sources : Because so few, covered major issues and tired to give relatively balanced view
What did the rise of internet imply in terms of news choices ?
Internet: Has placed a great variety of news sources at your finger tips
From all around the world
Specialist media covering particular topics
Specialist media purposefully tanking particular perspectives (can get it from extreme political right for example)
What is the result of individualized news ? What does Sustein claim ?
People are actively filtering what information they get, and they are getting very different into because they’re employing different filters
Sustein says this promotes political polarization
What does individualized news allow ?
Individualized news allows people to get the news that they want
What is polarization ?
Definitions : Process whereby the views and beliefs of a population becoming more distinct, less similar
How does polarization increase according to sustein ?
Sustain notes a variety of studies showing that polarization increases when people’s contacts and information are limited to like-minded individuals
Studies consistently find that people who talk with other like-minded individuals will have more extreme views after talking with them
What does interacting with non-like minded people lead to ?
When we interact with people with different views and get information from many sources, we are more like to see all sides of the story, less extreme, moderating views, more accepting
What do we mean by “echo chambers” ?
Extreme views are getting more extreme
Less common middle ground
Less agreement aout the facts with polarization
According to Sustein, Social Media is creating ______
echo chambers
when people with extreme views receive information contradiction their position, their position often ____________. Give an example.
strengthen
Trump: the media keeps calling hi out for his “lies” but this doesn’t affect his support from his followers
They support him more , blame it on media bias
How is civil society impacted by this age of extreme views ?
- civil society: fewer inclusive associations likes the ITU, more exclusives associations like in Weimar Germany, more polarized associations
- All this had potential to promote “uncivil” society
Sustein suggests that we might be entering an age of extremist because_______________
people are no longer exposed to diverse perspectives
What is the results of a lack of exposition to diverse perspectives ?
- left-wingers only searches info from left-wing sources, right-wingers only searches info from right-wing sources
- party deadlock : parties have less and less common ground, catering to more extreme supporters
How do others view Sustein ? What is it linked to ?
Conservation “old white guy” who’s scared go change he doesn’t understand
This is linked to the theoretical roots of his argument : Durkheim
He focuses on consensus, on (old) norms- Fearful of diverse views
What is the outcome of modernization according to Durkheim ?
Modernization : Through capitalism development, urbanization, educational expansion, divisions of labour etc promoted interaction and interdependence with people we don’t know
-Promotes common norms, outlooks, values
What he called moral density
What can prevent moral density according to Durkheim ?
Individualization : people don’t interact with others, don’t become socialized, don’t gain collective conscious
Anomie : Dramatic social change results in situation where social relations provide little moral guidance
What can prevent moral density according to Sustein?
Seem to be saying that social media is preventing this moral density in other way by strengthening a variety of rival communities
the polarized media promote divisions and conflict also by ________
focusing on emotions
depict how the polarized media can strengthen emotional response to particular issues.
strengthen emotional response to particular issues :
Fear: Mexican as dangerous rapists
Anger : Mexicans stole your job
Compassion : Describes the horrid conditions that drove people to be immigrants and the struggles they’ve faced
Historically, was is sociology’s stance on emotions ?
•Sociology has been biased against the study of emotions for quite some time
–Seen as primitive, genetic (more interested in our social features)
–Sociology focuses on our adaptiveness and problem-solving abilities (which don’t SEEM to be related to emotions)
What is significant about human emotions ? what did this lead to ?
•Yet humans have many more and more intense emotions than any other animal
–Regions of brain involved in emotions very large
–Growing recognition that emotions shape relations (shape how we act and how we interact)
- need to stop ignoring emotions
•Over the past 30 years, a number of sociologists have begun to pay a lot more attention to emotions
How can human emotions relate to politics ?
•Diverse political issues
–Emotions as motivator of social movements and political violence
–Emotions and identity politics (central to collective identity)
–Emotions and voter preference
–Emotions and populism
What does Haidt’s research focuses on?
•His research focuses on emotions, as he believes they shape human actions and interactions a lot (instead of reason)
What is Haidt’s analogy in terms of emotions ?
–Haidt characterizes the region of our brain dealing with emotions as the elephant and that dealing with critical thinking as the rider
•Says the rider thinks incorrectly that it’s in charge
Haidt claims that_________ affect your political orientation, which parties and candidates they support
moral foundations
How does Haidt frames moral foundations ? What does he suggest ?
–Each foundation related to particular emotions. Emotions therefore direct us politically
–Suggests they are hardwired in our brains (not varying that much from society to society, you will see generally speaking their presence with some variation) . These foundations are linked up to emotions.
What is the first moral foundation ? What does suggest? why?
•(1) Care/Harm Foundation: Suggests we are innately attuned to suffering and helplessness
–Due to parents and larger communities needing to provide for young (internal drive to take care of others around them)
–We experience pitty, saddness when seeing people (or animals) suffering
–Experience warm emotions when see cute babies
What is the second moral foundation ? What does it suggest ? why? What does focus on?
(2) Fairness/Cheating Foundation
•Focuses on emotions related to reciprocity
•Suggests humans are hardwired (because of evolutionary need for survival) to keep track of what people have given to us and what we’ve
given to them
–If we share resources with people who don’t reciprocate, we’ll be less likely to survive
–Sharing resources through reciprocation benefits the survival of all involved (only if reciprocal)
•Failed Reciprocation: See as unfair, cheating, and elicits very negative emotions
- causes humans to be attuned to fairness
What is the third moral foundation ? What does it suggest ? why? What does it lead to, give an example ?
(3) Loyalty/Betrayal Foundation
Innate because we are social animals
•Says innate and related to need for group cohesion in order for human survival
•Feel very negative emotions when someone betrays the group
–Kaepernick example ( some he was seen as being disloyal to the American community by taking a knee)
•Very positive emotions when rituals cause us to focus on the group
–Canada winning Olympic gold in hockey
What is the fourth moral foundation ? What does it suggest ? why? What does it lead to?
(4) Authority/Subversion Foundation
•Says humans are social animals hardwired to compare their rank to others and to accept
authority of individuals ranked more highly
-because we are social animals
•Negative emotions sparked by perceived acts of disobedience, disrespect, rebellion (individuals not obeying to the rank)
What is the fifth moral foundation ? What does it suggest ? why? What does it lead to? Give an example ?
(5) Sanctity/Degradation Foundation
•As omnivores, human developed disgust to help keep us from eating things that would kill us
same part of the brain that provokes disgust is active when someone breaks something sacred
Sacred objects are things that help us to keep societies together, when they are destroyed, the cohesion is compromised
–Linked to sense of sacred
–Development of humans as social animals promoted sacredness as means of promoting unity
•Disrespecting something that is “sacred” causes extreme negative emotions
–Example: Destroying religious or national symbols
What explains moral foundations ?
“we are social animals”
What does Haidt explore ? what did he ask ?
•Haidt explores the extent to which liberals and conservatives in the US respond to and emphasize these moral foundations
•Survey asking people 2 things:
–(1) questions that allow him to situate them on the liberal-conservative continuum
–(2) questions about how much people support the different moral foundations
What were his findings ?
•Findings: Liberals support two moral foundations (care, fairness), conservatives three (loyalty, authority, sanctity)
How did Haidt revise the Findings?
- (1) Adds sixth moral foundation: Liberty/Oppression
* (2) Discovered that there were two aspects to the Fairness/Cheating foundation
What is the sixth moral foundation ? Who focused more on it ?
•(1) Adds sixth moral foundation: Liberty/Oppression
–Millions of years of living in small groups promoted greater egalitarianism and modified authority foundation
–Focuses on whether rulers are just or impede liberty
–Conservatives focus much more focused on this
What did Haidt find in terms of the Fairness/Cheating foundation
•(2) Discovered that there were two aspects to the Fairness/Cheating foundation
–Equality (liberals were more interested in) and proportionality (“you get what you deserve”- conservative)
–He had only emphasized equality in the initial study
–Conservatives look at fairness from proportional view
•Given the importance that Haidt places on emotions, he therefore suggests that _______
Republicans have a key advantage over Democrats
What is the conservative advantages ?
Conservative Advantage
•Finds that liberals only emphasize one foundation more than conservatives
–Care/harm foundation
•Conservatives emphasized four more than liberals
–Loyalty/Betrayal, Authority/Subversion, Sanctity/Degradation, and Liberty/Oppression
•Both emphasized different aspects of Fairness/Cheating
•Given the importance that Haidt places on emotions, he therefore suggests that Republicans have a key advantage over Democrats
–Republicans can use a greater repertoire of emotional tools and issues
- Democrats will have to use “reason”, “academic” - which is maybe not good for politics
What do democrats have to focus on ? what does that imply ?
- Democrats will have to use “reason”, “academic” - which is maybe not good for politics
What is Hochschild’s Strangers in Their Own Land about ?
•Book started out as an effort to understand why white Americans in Louisiana are generally such strong supporters of the Tea Party and anti-government
What contradiction did Hochschild’s Strangers in Their Own Land explore ?
–Contradiction: Most in need of government help/support
–Region is among the poorest, least educated, worst health, most polluted environment in the US
What did Hochschild note ?
she noted a deep story underlying the political convictions of those she interacted with
Deep Story: “story feelings tell, in the language of symbols. It removes judgment. It removes fact. It tells us how things feel”
How can concerns about situations be addressed ?
social movements
What are examples of social movement ?
- Me Too Movement: Bringing awareness of sexual violence against women
- Yellow Vests Movement: Populist, anti-tax movement
- Arab Spring Movements: Pursued political reforms in several countries in MENA
- Occupy Wall Street: Global movement that brought critiqued capitalism and inequality
- Quebec Student Movement: Sought to oppose educational policy increasing the cost of tuition
What is Tilly’s definition of social movements ?
“social movements involve collective making of claims that, if realized, would conflict with someone else’s interests”
According to Tilly’s social movements are an example of _________
Contentious Politics (conflictual politics, where there are different opposing interests)
What are three components evident in Tilly’s definition of social movements?
- Conflict: social movements are inherently conflictual
- Change: social movements pursue social change by influencing politics
- Mass: social movements involve large numbers of people acting together to pursue change
What are 3 more components of Tilly’s definition
Campaign
Social Movement Repertoire
W.U.N.C. Displays
what is the element of “campaign” ? what is it characterized by ?
A sustained, organized public campaign making collective claims on targeted authorities
–Extends beyond a single event, occurs over considerable time
–Participants: some people spend great time coordinating campaign, others occasional support
What is an example of campaign ?
•Quebec Student Movement Example: (wasn’t just one instance)
–Lasted a long period of time
–Multiple student organizations and their leaders organized the campaign over tuition
what is the element of “repertoire” ? give examples
SMs consist of certain mass claim-making performances, all of which are non- violent
- Public meetings
- Solemn processions
- Vigils
- Rallies and demonstrations
- Petition drives
- Statements to and in public media
- Pamphleteering
- Creation of special-purpose associations and coalition
What are WUNC displays ?
•Social Movements are most successful if they display certain characteristics that help to legitimize, sustain, and control the movement:
- Worthiness: Presence of respected individuals, pursue collective well-being (not individual)
- Unity: Matching costumes, marching in ranks, singing
- Numbers: headcounts, petitions, filling streets, showing public will
- Commitment: Braving bad weather; visible participation by the old, handicapped children; resistance to repression; ostentatious sacrifice
What does Caroll suggest ?
•Suggests two main theoretical traditions of social movements
–Resource Mobilization Theory (RMT)
–New Social Movement Theory (NSMT)
In social movements, what is motivation ? What are they usually ?
•Motivation: The first theories of social movements focused on factors that motivated SMs
–Discrimination and Hardship: Common motivator of the American Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Movements, Gay Rights Movements, anti-Vietnam War Movement
In social movements, what is mobilization ? What body of work does it refer to ?
•Mobilization: the resources making possible mobilization ( how do you organize motivations)
–Thought motives widespread but resources limited, so resources are the key to understanding SMs
–This body of work is referred to as Resource Mobilization Theory
What does RMT focus on ? what does it claim ?
agency
claims that social movements are planned by rational actors
What does RMT suggests? what does it imply ?
Suggests that without diverse resources, movement will not succeed
Needed to engage lots of people, coordinate, inspire, continue movement over long-term, etc.
How is RMT different from early mass society theories ?
Contrary to early mass society theories viewing SMs as erupting spontaneously
What are 3 types of mobilization resources ?
- Human Resources: labor, experience, skills, and knowledge
- Material Resources: Money, car, communication, offices
- Moral and Cultural Resources: Legitimacy, inspiration, symbols (not material but they help to engage people)
What does moral and cultural resources promotes ? Give examples.
–Inspires and mobilizes, promotes acceptance
–Helps create common understanding
–Example: David Suzuki and environmental movement
–Example: peasant movements in Latin America used Christian symbolism to inspire participants
What does the literature focus on in terms of resources ?
- Organizational Resources: Focus of the literature
* Collective action requires a means of coordinating individuals, and organizations are perfect for this
What are SMO ?
Organization that identifies its goals with the social movement, mobilizes people to participate
•Sierra Club SMO for environmental movement
What are SMI?
- Social Movement Industries (SMI): The complex of SMOs for a particular movement
- Environmental movement includes Sierra Club, Green Peace, World Wildlife Federation, and hundreds if not thousands of more local organizations
What did Allan Morris describe ? what did he find ?
•Morris describes how organizations were vital mobilizational resources that made possible the success of the Civil Rights Movement (CRM)
–Finds that two organizations organized and orchestrated the sit-ins: Churches and Universities
What did churches and school provide ? (4)
-Human Resources—both churches and schools had a lot of people who could join the movement
•Ministers—talented speakers
•Students—leadership and communication skills
•Moral Resources: schools and churches legitimized movement
–Ministers and churches are viewed as worthy and trustworthy
–Students and professors aren’t looking out for material well-being, idealistic; pundits
- Cultural Resources: pastors able to intertwine Christianity and movement, depicted movement in terms of religion
- Material Resources: churches and schools provided financial resources; both churches and schools provided safe environment
What are the two camps in the RMT?
Entrepreneurial
Political Process Model
What is the entrepreneurial view ?Give an example? what are their concerns ?
–Sees social movement leaders as rational entrepreneurs who work toward movement success
–Morris’ work on Civil Right Movement is example
•Concern: Maximizing resources, rational planning
•Conclusion: Social movements are becoming more and more professionalized
What is the political process model interested in ? what does it focus on ?
interested in the social environment and how it provides openings
•Focuses on how the political environment affects openings for social movements
What does the political process model suggest ? what does it bring importance to ?
- If there isn’t a political opening, its very difficult to mobilize resources for a successful movement
- Brings in the importance of macro-structure
What does the political process model accept, but what does it suggest ?
Accepts entrepreneurial model but suggests that the political environment affects whether these resources can be used or not
Social movements are an effective means of ________ only when there are ________
promoting social change
openings
What are 3 factors affecting openings?
•Type of Movement: Police more likely to impede certain types of movements
–Anarchists versus public servant strike (gave public servant do it, stopping the anarchy, giving an opening to the public servants)
•State Capacity and Protection: Needed to prevent violent reactions against movement
•Democracy: Arguably the most important
How does democracy promotes SMs according to Tilly ? (2)
- legitimizes public discussions,
- Gives important to numbers (as a demonstration of what the public wants, if rulers don’t listen they might not be reelected)
How does democracy creates openings according to Tilly ? (2)
–Democracy allows people to participate in SMs
- Promotes rule of law and human rights
- right to assemble
- freedom of speech
For SMs, yes democracy might make SMs follow _________ , but _________
certain rules, get permission
they let them organize
SMs are much more dangerous and difficult to organize in _______ (even if ________ )
non-democracies
this type of political action has spread
Where did New social movement theory arise ? What are its main views ?
- Arose and most popular in continental Europe
- Views “old” social movements as class-based and “new” social movements emerging over the past four decades, getting beyond class conflict
How does NSMT in a transformative light ?
•Sees new social movements as transforming society in important ways
–Moral: Consider the basic conditions of society and the ways SMs can improve social life
–Lack clear objective
What questions does the NSMT literature focuses on ?
What are new social movements? What causes them? What are their effects?
Name 3 ways in which RMT and NSMT differ ?
- Structure/Agency: NSMT focuses on structure (how the social structures and major institutions are going to promoted the rise of certain SMs) , RMT on agency (how rational individuals actors are able to organize movements with the resources)
- Question: NSMT asks WHY certain types of movements occur; RMT asks HOW they occur
- Purpose: NSMT concerned about motive (new type of motive); RMT assumes motive (ignores) and focuses on how to mobilize
How does RMT and NSMT differ in terms of Structure/Agency ?
•Structure/Agency: NSMT focuses on structure (how the social structures and major institutions are going to promoted the rise of certain SMs) , RMT on agency (how rational individuals actors are able to organize movements with the resources)
How does RMT and NSMT differ in terms of Question ?
•Question: NSMT asks WHY certain types of movements occur; RMT asks HOW they occur
How does RMT and NSMT differ in terms of purpose ?
•Purpose: NSMT concerned about motive (new type of motive); RMT assumes motive (ignores) and focuses on how to mobilize
How does “post-somethings” represent ?
“Post-Somethings”: Recognize (a) the diminution of class conflict; (b) expansion of cultural, consumption, and leisure activities (no longer have a situation where large part of population is poor, people now are able to consume a lot more) ; and (c) the growth of tertiary sectors
The focus of NSMT, suggests that ______ has important effects on new social movements
capitalism
What do NSMs react to ? what does this mean ?
NSMs react to post-something capitalism, reactions to these post-somethings create movements
NSMs therefore are concentrated in the core capitalist countries
What do NSMs focus on ?
“new” social movements focus on broad goals without a clear endpoint
–Very general critiques of capitalism and “modernism”
“post”-capitalist environment promotes _________________
certain types of SMs that confront capitalism
What are NSMs different from ? Why ?
Different from social movements that are pursuing a specific political goal
Likely because these SMs generally occur in wealthy societies with vibrant democracies and welfare states
- In general, equal rights are assumed and no more large poverty
What was a critique of Occupy Wall Street ?
Some have suggested that the Occupy Wall Street Movement was not sustainable because it lacked leadership, a central goal
–Tilly suggests lack of leadership/unity would hinder movement success
How can the critique been seen from the NSMT perspective ?
If you consider OWS a NSM, this seems less problematic
–Goal isn’t some short-term, concrete transformation
–Goal is greater awareness, a general critique of the social order
How does Habermas view Western society ?
Views Western society as divided into two realms:
•System: formalized institutions, markets and bureaucracies
•Lifeworld: meaningful everyday life, normal relations
How does Habermas view the impact of modernization on Western society ?
- Rationalization: Believes modernization has promoted the rationalization of both the System and Lifeworld
- Lifeworld rationalization promotes self-reflexiveness, openness, freedom
According to Habermas, what is the problem with the impact of modernization on Western society ?
- Problem: Systemic rationalization has dominated, the lifeworld shrinks
- Dominance of markets and bureaucracy
- Promotes non-reflexive conformity, not crit. thinking
- Traps us in Weber’s Iron Cage
Habermas claims NSMs must _________
pursue actual change instead of just exposing
What do NSMs do according to Habermas ? What does this do ?
New social movements react to systemic rationalization, help to advance the Lifeworld realm
•Raise consciousness, cause us to question world
What does change involves in Habermas’ view ?
•Change involves expanding the lifeworld realm
According to Habermas, why do SMs occur ultimately ?
SMs as occurring to confront the power of the systemic world
–Tries to expand lifeworld
How do NSMs fit into Habermas’ concerns?
Fits with expanding the public sphere, civil society, democracy
What does NSMT usually focuses on in terms of movement orientation ?
NSMT focuses on leftist movements that critique capitalism and the post-modern social order
How does the right-wing also reacts to this new post-modern social order ?
–Support capitalism
–Oppose government intervention
–Nationalistic and protective
are these right-wing movements are a different type of NSM or a reaction to NSMs?
In some ways, seem to be both (reaction to social context + reaction against NSM)
Scholars of SMs increasingly recognize that ____________ has important implications on social movements
Social Media
How does Social Media allows in SMs? How ?
Suggests it is a very important new resource that allows people to organize movements more easily
Tweets, facebook, texts, websites, email all facilitate communication and coordination
What do you think NSMT would say about social media ?
Allows to raise awareness, to get information out there, it also something that is going to be a game changer. But also a possible negative, making the lifeworld systematically rationalized, no more face to face relations
What is 1st Generation of Social Movement Literature take on grievances ?
–Focused largely on grievances as determinants of movements
–Civil Rights and Women’s Suffrage Movements: Sought equality, empowerment of marginalized
What is 2st Generation of Social Movement Literature take on grievances ?
–Disregarded grievances, saying everyone has them but only some are able to act on them
–Focus on rational decision-making
What do we see now in terms of literature of social movements ?
Return to grievances considers their “irrational” and emotional side
What did James Jasper do ?
•Has done more than anyone else to bring emotions back in to the study of social movements
–Denied tenure at NYU because he focused on something that was marginalized by the discipline at the time
What is James Jasper main point ?
His main point is that emotions are vital for motivating, mobilizing, and sustaining social movements
What is rational action
–Rational Action: Dominant view in econ., assumes people act in calculated ways to maximize interests
What does Olson say about public goods? What are public goods ? What is the issue ?
Olson says it is irrational to participate in creating public goods
–It costs you to provide them, and you’ll have access for free after others provide them
Yet if everyone is a free-rider, no roads are created
What are public goods ?
Public Goods: Roads and other goods that are available to all members of the public
What are the two ways economists generally focus on to overcome the collective action problem?
–Give selective benefits to those who provide them
–Penalize those that don’t
According to Jasper, SMs are affected by _________
Why ?
collective action problem
But selective benefits/penalties not effective
What does Jasper say about emotions and collective action problem ?
Claims that emotions are the key to understanding how to overcome collective action prob.
–Emotions motivate us to make sacrifices, incur costs, participate even if not “rational” for individual
What do emotions cause ? what does that lead to ?
Emotions cause people to disregard personal interests
–Willing to participate even if it’s costly
Successful SMs frame issues to ___________.
What does that mean ?
provoke emotions
–People join for emotional reasons
–Sustains movement participation
–Durkheim’s collective effervescence
What are collective emotions ? Give an example ?
Notes that these emotions commonly depend on collective identities
–Love/concern for in-group, hate/fear of out-group
Define “obligation” in terms of the collective ?
When people have strong collective identities and movements are framed in terms of them, people feel obliged to participate, guilt if they don’t
How does RMT views collective identities ? What does that mean in terms of SMs?
•RMT differs in that it views collective identities as a resource
–When these identities are present, can be used to mobilize movements
–This resource can be manipulated by leaders to maximize mobilizational potential
What do Normative and Cultural Resources allow ? what does that lead to ?
Allow leaders to frame the movement in such a way as to attract followers
–Frame issue as a communal issue
What does Jensen’s Naming Nations analyzes ?
Analyzes the use of group identities from a resource mobilization perspective
•Notes that it is not always easy to agree on how to define the group for movements
–Definitions have important implications affecting the movement and its demands
What does Jensen’s Naming Nations notes, what does that lead to ?
•Notes that it is not always easy to agree on how to define the group for movements
–Definitions have important implications affecting the movement and its demands
What do movement leaders need to do ? What does this affect ?
Movement leaders need to analyze the mobilizational potential of group identity and the impact that certain conceptions of identity have on their movements
–Affects both resources and political opening
What does the Quebec nationalist movement promote ?
•Promoted movement seeking greater autonomy (independence) of Quebec
–Seeking a nation-state
How does the Quebec nationalist movement define Quebec ?
Movement defines group as Quebecois nation, conforms to popular ideas of nation-state
What are the 2 ways in which the Quebec nationalist formulation of identity affected the movement ?
- Benefit: Galvanized strong support from nationalists, as the nation-state model is so popular and strong
- Cost: (1) cut off other French Canadians, thereby limiting support outside the province, (2) placed in conflict with Ottawa
What did Aboriginal Canadians had to choose ? What does that imply ?
Jensen describes how had to choose between rights based identity strategy or emphasis on self-government
–Each have trade-offs
What are the benefits and the costs of the Rights-based approach ?
•Rights-Based Approach:
–Benefit: Collaboration with other movements trying to promote equal rights
–Costs: depends on the government to implement, doesn’t address issue of autonomy
What are the benefits and the costs of self-Government?
•Self-Government:
–Cost: Lose support from other groups, opposition from provinces
–Benefit: Deals with issue of autonomy and control
What is Jensen’s main point ? what does it mean ?
•Movement leaders need to closely consider how to “name” their movement community
–That is, how do they depict the community that they are speaking for
What does “naming” a movement community affects? In what ways ?
–Resources: Certain depictions inspire support more than others, allow to team up with others
–Opportunity: Certain depictions provoke greater government support, less political opposition
The SMs that focus on collective identities the most are ____________.
What does that mean ?
nationalist movements
–Movements seeking to protect and empower the nation
What did Gellner say about nationalism ? What principle does that evoke ?
“Nationalism is primarily a political principle, which holds that the political and the national unit should be congruent.”
–Principle of self-rule by nations
What is Michael Hechter’s Definition of nationalism ? What does that imply (2)?
Collective action designed to render the boundaries of the nation
congruent with those of its governance unit
–Action creating a nation state
–Social movements commonly pursue nationalism
_________ sees four main types of nationalism. What are they ?
Hechter
- State-Building Nationalism: 19th century France
- Unification Nationalism: 19th century Germany and Italy
- Peripheral Nationalism: Quebec
- Irredentist Nationalism: Northern Ireland’s IRA
Nationalist movements are ________ and sometimes ____________. Give examples?
commonly violent
transform into civil wars
–State-Building Nationalism: Commonly eliminates or expels “non-nationals”
–Unification Nationalism: Caused wars in Germany and Italy
–Peripheral Nationalism: Kurdish civil war in Turkey
–Irredentist Nationalism: Northern Ireland conflict
What are the two main views in terms of nations ?
- Ideal: “Imagined Communities” (More prevalent in academia)
- Material: Concrete political community
What is “imagined communities” ?
One of the most influential books of the 20th century written by Anderson
What does “imagined communities” claim ?
Claims that nations are first and foremost ideal concepts that people recognize
What does defining a nation as “imagined” mean ?
Imagined (not to say that nations are false but that they are real to the extend where a large amount of people believe in it): We believe we are part of the same community even if we live thousands of kilometres apart and will never see each other let alone communicate
What does Anderson say about nations? why ?
Says nations are very new
Previously communities were based primarily on who you knew and interacted with (leads to local communities)
how imagined communities were formed according to Anderson ? describe it.
print capitalism
invention of printing press and mass education created a mass market for printed material (which spread ideas of the nation)
What does Anderson analysis of Print capitalism reminds us of ? how do they differ ?
•Like Said, says print media presented representations that shape understandings
–Instead of out-group like “Oriental,” focuses on in-group of the “nation” (using print media to create ideas of national communities thats out there)
How did newspaper build imagined nations ?
Newspapers (not as explicit but they can cover issues that occur within the national community and reference to it, using “we”, “us”)
Newspaper, novels, histories, etc. all depicted the nation as________. What did this lead to ?
real, concrete and important
What are the two other alternative explanations ?
Capitalism (gellner) and the Nation- State
How did Gellner explain the creation of nation ? What did Gellner claim in terms of state building (2) ?
Capitalism ?
– Capitalism creates functional need for a linguistically homogeneous population (Need for communication technologies and common language, common understandings )
– Led to assimilationist nation-building efforts
