Overview

This work focuses on issues of social movements and social class from the perspective of collective action, and discusses topics such as: middle-class radicalism; class; racism; urban politics; citizenship; education; and democracy. It asks questions such as: how integrative and expansive is collective action in the constitution of modern societies?; and how can we articulate issues of collective action, and social movement's practices and class action within this integrative understanding? The first part of this work reviews various analytical models and attempts to explain the modern foundations for collective action. Part two examines the close links between local power structures, spatial issues and the institutionalization of collective action. The final section looks at how social struggles penetrate political life, and reflects on considerations of culture and democracy.

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9780803979536

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Reviews

'This book includes the work of twelve authors and many different topics are discussed... The chapters of the book were originally papers presented in Madrid in 1990 at the conference of the International Sociological Association's Research Committee on Social Movements and Social Classes Research. Since then, the authors have rewritten their contributions, and what is especially interesting is that they have commented on the contributions in the other chapters. This means that most chapters not only present the ideas of the individual authors, but also comment on and engage in a dialogue with the other contributions. In this way the book reveals the variation in the field of social movements and classes and the process has forced the authors to sharpen their arguments. The result is that the book is a presentation of a debate, but it does not provide definite answers. Rather, it mirrors the constant attempts to grasp the different theories and empirical studies of this field' - Acta Sociologica

`This book includes the work of twelve authors and many different topics are discussed... The chapters of the book were originally papers presented in Madrid in 1990 at the conference of the International Sociological Association′s Research Committee on Social Movements and Social Classes Research. Since then, the authors have rewritten their contributions, and what is especially interesting is that they have commented on the contributions in the other chapters. This means that most chapters not only present the ideas of the individual authors, but also comment on and engage in a dialogue with the other contributions. In this way the book reveals the variation in the field of social movements and classes and the process has forced the authors to sharpen their arguments. The result is that the book is a presentation of a debate, but it does not provide definite answers. Rather, it mirrors the constant attempts to grasp the different theories and empirical studies of this field′ - Acta Sociologica

'This book includes the work of twelve authors and many different topics are discussed... The chapters of the book were originally papers presented in Madrid in 1990 at the conference of the International Sociological Association's Research Committee on Social Movements and Social Classes Research. Since then, the authors have rewritten their contributions, and what is especially interesting is that they have commented on the contributions in the other chapters. This means that most chapters not only present the ideas of the individual authors, but also comment on and engage in a dialogue with the other contributions. In this way the book reveals the variation in the field of social movements and classes and the process has forced the authors to sharpen their arguments. The result is that the book is a presentation of a debate, but it does not provide definite answers. Rather, it mirrors the constant attempts to grasp the different theories and empirical studies of this field' - Acta Sociologica 'This book includes the work of twelve authors and many different topics are discussed... The chapters of the book were originally papers presented in Madrid in 1990 at the conference of the International Sociological Association's Research Committee on Social Movements and Social Classes Research. Since then, the authors have rewritten their contributions, and what is especially interesting is that they have commented on the contributions in the other chapters. This means that most chapters not only present the ideas of the individual authors, but also comment on and engage in a dialogue with the other contributions. In this way the book reveals the variation in the field of social movements and classes and the process has forced the authors to sharpen their arguments. The result is that the book is a presentation of a debate, but it does not provide definite answers. Rather, it mirrors the constant attempts to grasp the different theories and empirical studies of this field' - Acta Sociologica

Author Information

Louis Maheu is Professor of Sociology and Vice-Dean of the Graduate Faculty at Universite de Montreal. His recent books include La Recomposition du Politique (1991) and Hommage a Marcel Rioux: Sociologie Critique, Creation Artistique et Societe Contemporaine (editor, 1992) CONTRIBUTORS OUTSIDE THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE Maheu: Social Movements and Social Classes Klaus Eder Humboldt University Berlin & European University Institute Fiesole Alberto Melucci University of Milan Jan Pakulski University of Tasmania Hobart Chris Pickvance University of Kent Maurice Roche University of Sheffield Chris Rootes University of Kent Alain Touraine CADIS Paris John Urry University of Lancaster Michel Wieviorka CADIS Paris

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