Social Movements in the 20th (and 21st) Century
Grinnell
College
Fall 2001
Prof. Marit Berntson
Class
Meets:
MWF 1:15 - 2:05 pm
ARH 131
Office:
ARH 104
641-269-4409
berntson@grinnell.edu
Office hours:
MW 2:15-3:45 and by appointment
| PHOTO: The ethnic nationalist movement in France, dominated by the Front National, uses the image of the Native American to symbolize its own struggle against being invaded and displaced by foreign settlers (immigrants) on Sept. 20, 1998 (Marit Berntson). |
The
purpose of this course is to introduce students to the study of social
movements, a large area of research within political sociology. We will
consider some of the larger debates in the area by reading both empirical
studies of movements and theoretical studies of major issues. 
We
will be particularly concerned with the social and political context of
protest, focusing on basic questions such as: what conditions facilitate
or hinder the emergence of social movements? how are social movements
organized? why and how do people join social movements? how do activists
choose tactics and strategies? and, how do movements affect social and
political change? By the end of the quarter, students should have sufficient
mastery of the theoretical literature to ground their own research.
| PHOTO:
Marchers from a student group in France's ethnic nationalist movement commemorate Joan of Arc on May 1, 1998 (Marit Berntson). |
Last modified by Marit Berntson on October 11, 2001