Author Description
This Is An Open Access Title Available Under The Terms Of A Cc By Nc Nd 4.0 International License. It Is Free To Read At Oxford Scholarship Online And Offered As A Free Pdf Download From Oup And Selected Open Access Locations. Why Does The Mind Matter For Collective Action? In Contentious Minds, Florence Passy And Gian-andrea Monsch Explain How Cognitive And Relational Processes Allow Activists Participate In And Sustain Their Commitment To Activism. Based On A Wide Array Of Survey And Interview Data With Activists Engaged In Protest, Volunteering And Unions, They Highlight How A Commitment Community Develop Shared Values, Identities, And Meanings Through Interaction. The Interplay Of Talk And Ties Enables Stories And Meanings To Be Constructed And Exchanged, Conveys Worldviews And Intentions That Are Modified Through Ongoing Conversations, And Reinforces And Maintains Commitment Over Time. Passy And Monsch's Ambitious Work Brings The Mind And Culture Back Into The Study Of Social Movements And Highlights The Crucial Role Social Networks Play In Constructing The Communities And Shared Values That Sustain Commitment.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates how cognitive and relational processes facilitate the participation and sustained commitment of individuals within social movements. Florence Passy and Gian-Andrea Monsch, both established scholars in the field of political sociology, utilize a robust framework that integrates social network theory with cognitive psychology. They argue that activism is not merely a product of structural conditions but is actively constructed through the interplay of interpersonal communication and shared cultural meanings within activist communities.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of survey and interview data from participants in protests, volunteering, and labor unions
- A framework for understanding how shared values and identities are negotiated through social interaction
- Examination of the role of 'talk and ties' in maintaining long-term activist commitment
Scope Limits
- The study focuses primarily on the internal dynamics of activist communities rather than the macro-level political outcomes of their actions
- The research does not provide a comprehensive history of specific social movements but rather uses them as case studies for cognitive processes
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars in the field of social movement studies recognize this work as a significant contribution to the 'cultural turn' in political sociology. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for researchers and students interested in the intersection of psychology and collective action.
Page Count:
320
Publication Date:
2020-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190078030
ISBN-13:
9780190078034
Psychology
Collective Action
Sociology
Activism
Community Tags
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