9.1 Stages of social movement development

Social movements evolve through four key stages: emergence, coalescence, bureaucratization, and decline. Each stage has unique characteristics and challenges, from initial awareness-raising to formal organization and potential loss of momentum.

Understanding these stages helps explain how movements grow, change, and sometimes fade away. Factors like grievances, resources, and political opportunities play crucial roles in shaping a movement's trajectory and success throughout its lifecycle.

Stages of Social Movements

Progression of Social Movements

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• Social movements typically progress through four main stages: emergence, coalescence, bureaucratization, and decline
• The emergence stage is characterized by widespread discontent, but limited organization and coordination among those affected
• During the coalescence stage, leadership emerges, goals are clarified, and strategies for achieving those goals are developed
• The bureaucratization stage involves the formalization of movement structures, roles, and processes, often leading to a more hierarchical organization
• Decline can occur due to various factors, such as achieving goals, co-optation by the establishment, repression, or loss of momentum

Characteristics of Each Stage

• Emergence stage: focuses on raising awareness, building networks, and identifying potential allies (civil rights movement in the 1950s)
• Coalescence stage: involves mass demonstrations, civil disobedience, and the formation of alliances with other organizations (March on Washington in 1963)
• Bureaucratization stage: engages in lobbying, litigation, and the development of alternative institutions (NAACP's legal challenges to segregation)
• Decline stage: varies depending on the cause of the decline, but may include efforts to maintain gains, adapt to changing circumstances, or shift focus to new issues (women's suffrage movement after the 19th Amendment)

Factors in Social Movement Emergence

Grievances and Relative Deprivation

• Social, economic, and political grievances or injustices often serve as the initial catalyst for the emergence of social movements (income inequality, racial discrimination)
• Relative deprivation theory suggests that people are more likely to mobilize when they perceive a gap between what they have and what they believe they deserve
• This perception of injustice can be a powerful motivator for collective action, even if objective conditions have not worsened (rising expectations during times of social change)

Resources and Opportunities

• Resource mobilization theory emphasizes the importance of organizational resources, such as funding, leadership, and communication networks, in the growth of social movements
• Social movements require a variety of resources to sustain their activities, including money, time, skills, and access to media and political institutions (civil rights movement's reliance on churches and community organizations)
• Political opportunities, such as changes in the political landscape or the emergence of allies, can create favorable conditions for the growth of social movements (collapse of the Soviet Union and the spread of democratic movements)
• Framing processes, which involve the construction of shared meanings and narratives, can help to mobilize supporters and legitimize the movement's goals (framing the struggle for same-sex marriage as a matter of equality and civil rights)

Strategies for Social Movements

Tactics for Different Stages

• In the emergence stage, social movements often focus on raising awareness, building networks, and identifying potential allies through public education campaigns and small-scale protests (Occupy Wall Street's initial encampments)
• Tactics in the coalescence stage may include mass demonstrations, civil disobedience, and the formation of alliances with other organizations to pressure decision-makers and attract media attention (anti-Vietnam War movement's draft card burnings and campus protests)
• During the bureaucratization stage, social movements may engage in lobbying, litigation, and the development of alternative institutions to work within established channels and create lasting change (environmental movement's creation of green parties and eco-friendly businesses)
• Strategies in the decline stage can vary depending on the cause of the decline, but may include efforts to maintain gains, adapt to changing circumstances, or shift focus to new issues (labor movement's focus on collective bargaining after the decline of large-scale strikes)

Adaptation and Innovation

• Social movements must continually adapt their strategies and tactics to changing contexts and challenges, such as shifts in public opinion, political opportunities, or technological developments (Black Lives Matter's use of social media to organize protests and share information)
• Successful movements often combine a range of strategies and tactics, from disruptive protests to conventional political activities, to maximize their impact and appeal to different constituencies (civil rights movement's combination of direct action, litigation, and legislative advocacy)
• Innovation in tactics and organizational forms can help movements maintain momentum and surprise opponents, but can also risk alienating supporters or provoking backlash (anti-globalization movement's use of decentralized, horizontal networks and creative direct action)

Challenges of Social Movements

Internal Challenges

• Maintaining unity and cohesion can be a challenge as movements grow and become more diverse during the coalescence stage, leading to conflicts over tactics, goals, and decision-making processes (tensions between moderate and radical factions in the women's movement)
• The bureaucratization stage can lead to internal conflicts over decision-making, resource allocation, and the balance between pragmatism and idealism, as formalized structures may prioritize efficiency over participation (debates over professionalization in the environmental movement)
• Sustaining momentum and commitment over time can be difficult, particularly in the face of external opposition or internal divisions, as participants may become disillusioned, exhausted, or divided (decline of the anti-nuclear movement in the 1980s)

External Challenges

• In the emergence stage, social movements may struggle to gain attention, resources, and legitimacy, as they face indifference, skepticism, or hostility from the public, media, and political institutions (early struggles of the gay rights movement)
• Co-optation by the establishment, where movement leaders or goals are absorbed into mainstream institutions, can undermine the movement's transformative potential and demobilize supporters (incorporation of some environmental demands into corporate sustainability policies)
• Repression by those in power, through legal, political, or violent means, can hinder the progress and survival of social movements at any stage, as they face surveillance, harassment, arrests, or attacks (state violence against the civil rights and anti-war movements in the 1960s)
• Counter-movements that oppose the goals and values of a social movement can emerge at any stage, leading to polarization, conflict, and competition for resources and attention (anti-abortion movement's opposition to the feminist movement)