Recent theories of social movement
a) Resource mobilization theory
- This theory argues that social movements emerge when people to have access to resources that enables them to organize a movement.
- This theory assumes that some discontent is always present in a society, but that the resources necessary to form social movement are not always available.
- Money, communication, technology and intellectual elites are all resources that can be used to organize a social movement.
b) Political –process theory
- This approach stresses opportunities for movements that are created by larger social and political processes.
- The absence of repression that is associated with democratic societies, industrialization and urbanization, for example, makes it easier for social movements to emerge.