Ideology and the New Social Movements

Book excerpt: First published in 1990, Ideology and the New Social Movements provides an incisive and much-needed assessment of debates concerning the nature and motivation of social movements and collective action. In particular, Alan Scott focuses upon the competing theoretical explanations of the rise and character of the ‘new social movements’ in North America and Europe. After introducing the major themes in the debate about new social movements, the book reviews mainstream theories, both functionalist and neo-Marxist, then moves on to a discussion of sociological, economic and political writings. Specific examples, most notably the rise of the West German Greens, are used to assess the value of the different approaches. Alan Scott argues that theories of long-term change, such as the transition to the ‘post-industrial’ society, give insufficient attention to the political and organizational aspects of social movements, and exaggerate the differences between older, class based, movements and ‘new’ politics. He concludes by arguing that the idea of social closure that can accommodate questions of allegiance and identity, and control of resources has considerable explanatory power, and can encompass the cultural and political aspects of social movements. This book will be of interest to students of sociology, political science and urban studies.