Social Movements Notes

Social Movements Reader Notes part IV

Introduction- remaining active is an issue that many people are curious about? What convinces people to remain in a certain movement or what makes them drop out? There can be several factors such as the orgs movements are not the same anymore.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter took finding out the commitment to a certain movement In her studies in the 9th century like brook farm and Oneida communities that share lots of things are likely to remain strong. She argues that their commitment is largely part due to the way their beliefs are set up and if they are aligned with a certain movement then they are likely to commit.

She follows communes and notices that those who try to separate their members from the real world have better success rate. They attempt to isolate them, but this could potentially lead to them having to much participation.

There was also the worry of their friends or families being an interference so they would separate families, raise children together as a commune, and would not allow for monogamous marriages. They faced issues such as dyadic withdrawl which would be when they meet someone and want to separate and lead a more private life.

Kanter noticed that by doing group activites that you create a stronger bond, and they are more likely to remain together.

Eric Hirsh also examined a bit of this when he realized that by forming something together you create a stronger movement as they did with students, because they feel more obligated.

He also says that conflicts which arise can also help their cause as they turn to those inside the group for support.

Nancy Whittier she looks at how there are still some radical feminist even though the movement as whole has died down. They were able to keep it alive by having a group of individual who would recruit like minded people, and they would scare with stories of people who backed out. While most groups on the decline would be against having...