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.