Social Movements and American Political Institutions

by Costain, Anne N.; McFarland, Andrew S.; Banaszak, Lee Ann; Berry, Jeffrey M.; Burstein, Paul; Costain, W Douglas; Cress, Daniel M.; Dufour, Claude; Green, John C.; Guth, James L.; Imig, Douglas R.; Lester, James P.; Lichbach, Mark I.; McAdam, Doug; McCann

• ISBN13: 9780847683581
• ISBN10: 0847683583
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-04-23
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

Social movements in the United States are important political actors because of their scale and duration, their generation of new ideas and understandings of existing problems, their ability to mobilize those who were previously passive citizens, and the impetus they provide for restructuring and broadening the agenda of American politics. This volume combines chapters by a distinguished group of social movement scholars, from both sociology and political science, who use perspectives ranging from political process theory to rational choice and collective action approaches to evaluate the functioning of institutions of American government and the public policies that they produce. A diverse group of movements and interests are featured: women, public interest, native America, the environment, the Christian Right, abortion, gay rights, and homelessness among them.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Theories of American Politics and Social Movements
Social Movements and Theories of American Politics	p. 7
"The Very Excess of Democracy": State Building and Contentious Politics in America	p. 20
Interest Organizations, Political Parties, and the Study of Democratic Politics	p. 39
Mobilization
Mobilizing Gay Activists	p. 59
Mobilization at the Margins: Organizing by the Homeless	p. 73
Use of the Initiative Process by Woman Suffrage Movements	p. 99
Parties and Elections
Less than Conquerors: The Christian Right in State Republican Parties	p. 117
Citizen Groups, Political Parties, and Electoral Coalitions	p. 136
The Presidency and Congress
American Social Movements and Presidential Administrations	p. 159
Women Lobby Congress	p. 171
The Environmental Movement and Congress	p. 185
Social Movements in Court
Social Movements and the Mobilization of Law	p. 201
Litigation as Rebellion	p. 216
Social Movements and Abortion Law	p. 233
Conclusions
On the International Origins of Domestic Political Opportunities	p. 251
Where Have All the Foils Gone? Competing Theories of Contentious Politics and the Civil Rights Movement	p. 268
Conclusion	p. 285
References	p. 291
Index	p. 320
About the Editors	p. 332
About the Contributors	p. 333
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