The Civil Rights Movement in the USA, women’s movements all over the world, peace and anti-war movements, environmentalists, gay and lesbian rights groups… The rise and fall of various new social movements (NSM) can be observed throughout the last decades. But what is new about NSM compared to former social movements? Why did they rise in the post-war period? Why do people support a political cause? Why do they choose non-institutional means of influence?
This essay will define NSM in contrast to former social movements examining closely the post-war circumstances and the period’s impact on the rise of NSM all over Europe. The German green party Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Die Grünen) will be pointed out as a special example of a NSM that became a party and therefore a political institution. The conclusion will focus on the rise and fall of NSM and give a future outlook.
Social movements are large informal groupings of individuals or organisations with a common interest, who focus on specific political or social issues to carry out a social change (see website 1). They are distinguished from other collective actors by having (the threat of) mass mobilisation as their prime source of social sanction, and hence of power (see Scott 1990, p.6).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definition and Characteristics of New Social Movements
3. Actors and Social Background of New Social Movements
4. Socio-historical Context of the Rise of New Social Movements
5. Theoretical Perspectives and the European Model
6. Historical Periods of the European Left
7. The Green Movement as an Example of New Social Movements
8. Life Cycle and Mobilisation Dynamics
9. Contemporary Status and Future Outlook
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the rise of European New Social Movements (NSM) in the post-war period, examining their distinct characteristics, socio-historical origins, and structural differences from traditional, class-based social movements.
- The differentiation between NSM and traditional labour movements.
- The impact of post-war socio-economic prosperity on value shifts.
- The role of the German Green Party as a transition from movement to political institution.
- The influence of cultural change, education, and post-materialist identity on movement formation.
- The lifecycle and mobilization challenges inherent in contemporary social movements.
Extract from the Book
The key actors of NSM are mainly members of the new middle class or service-sector professionals, e.g. academics (see website 3). Besides NSM are supported by rather young people for the more educated tend to be more active in politics than the less educated and younger birth cohorts are more educated than older ones. This leads to a gradual rise in conventional political participation rates (see Inglehart 1997, p.307). Herbert Marcuse also observes that the most effective challenge to the established order comes from students and minority groups and not from workers who were the main driving force of former social movements. The younger “postmaterialist cohorts have less incentives to identify with any specific political party among the available choices” (Inglehart 1997, p.311) and they therefore participate rather in NSM which focus on specific issues than in party activities. The post-war cohort grew up differently than their parents. They did not experience e.g. the downfall of democracy in Germany in 1933. Therefore they did not accept that only a strong state is able to control and stop the rise of radical and fascist groups. Grown up in economic wealth they were used to the possibility of fulfilling their dreams on their own and mistrusted public institutions per se. Their main common characteristics are their anti-state turn of mind and action.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the central research questions regarding the emergence of New Social Movements in the post-war era and outlines the scope of the essay.
2. Definition and Characteristics of New Social Movements: Contrasts NSM with traditional movements by highlighting their socio-cultural focus, fluidity, and move away from class-based interest.
3. Actors and Social Background of New Social Movements: Examines the demographic profile of NSM participants, focusing on the new middle class and post-materialist youth.
4. Socio-historical Context of the Rise of New Social Movements: Analyzes the post-war economic stability, the expansion of higher education, and the changing roles of women as catalysts for new identity politics.
5. Theoretical Perspectives and the European Model: Discusses how structuralist-Marxist perspectives and the post-materialism hypothesis shape the European understanding of NSM.
6. Historical Periods of the European Left: Traces the political trajectory of the European left from 1945 through the Cold War to the paradigm shifts of the 1980s.
7. The Green Movement as an Example of New Social Movements: Uses the German party Bündnis 90/Die Grünen to illustrate the institutionalization and inherent conflicts of a successful NSM.
8. Life Cycle and Mobilisation Dynamics: Describes the typical progression of movements from inception to mobilization, including challenges like the free-rider problem.
9. Contemporary Status and Future Outlook: Assesses the current decline of NSM influence and potential indicators for future waves of activism.
Keywords
New Social Movements, NSM, Post-materialism, European Politics, Social Change, Collective Identity, Environmentalism, Die Grünen, Post-war Society, Mobilisation, Political Sociology, Grassroots movements, Cultural reproduction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper examines the development of New Social Movements in Europe during the post-war era, analyzing why they emerged, who participates in them, and how they differ from older, industrial-era social movements.
What are the central thematic areas?
Key themes include the shift from class-based concerns to post-materialist values, the influence of the new middle class, the institutionalization of movements into political parties, and the impact of socio-historical crises.
What is the core research objective?
The goal is to define NSM in contrast to traditional movements and explain how post-war circumstances fostered an environment where non-institutional, issue-focused activism could thrive.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The work employs a qualitative, socio-historical analysis, drawing on existing social movement theory and empirical literature to interpret the evolution of political actors in Western Europe.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The body chapters cover the historical timeline of the European Left, the sociological composition of movement actors, specific case studies like the Green movement, and the lifecycle dynamics of social activism.
Which keywords best describe this study?
The study is characterized by terms such as NSM, Post-materialism, Collective Identity, Social Change, and Political Sociology.
How does the author explain the decline of NSM?
The author argues that many movements have lost their initial enthusiasm and faced institutional challenges, leading to a period of recession where they are no longer viewed as radical alternatives to the status quo.
What role does the German Green Party play in this analysis?
It serves as a primary example of how a movement born from non-institutional grassroots activism can evolve into a formal political party, illustrating the tensions that arise between idealistic principles and the realities of governance.
- Quote paper
- Katrin Schmidt (Author), 2006, Account for the rise of European New Social Movements in the post-war period, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/94227
