DSOC 6430

New Global Social Movements

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2018-2019.

The course reviews major issues concerning new global social movements and their core characteristics. At the center of the course are the movements that emerged with the crisis since 2008 (the "Arab Spring," Greece, 15-M/Spain, Gezi/Turkey, Occupy, Brazil…). The course will discuss different approaches in social movement theory. It will also analyze movements that can be considered precursors regarding content and practices of the new global social movements (e.g. the "anti-representational" movements in Latin America since the mid-1990s and the alter-globalization movement). The course will discuss shared characteristics and differences among the new global movements and compared to earlier social movements. We will contextualize these changes in an analysis of changing political and cultural circumstances (crisis of representation, globalization, global governance…), discuss the new practices (non-representational democracy, direct action, self-management…) and the perspectives of social movements. 

When Offered Spring.

• Students will be able to analyze the context, goals, critiques, origins, forms and functioning of contemporary social movements.
• Students will be able to apply different theoretical approaches in social movements theory.
• Students will be able to describe and explain differences and common characteristics of contemporary social movements and their agency regarding social change.

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