Synopsis
From the French and American Revolutions through the democratic and workers' movements of the nineteenth century to the totalitarian movements of today, social movements exercise a fleeting but powerful influence on politics and society. This study surveys the history of the social movement, puts forward a theory of collective action to explain its surges and declines, and offers an interpretation of the power of movement that emphasizes its effects on personal lives, policy reforms and political culture. While covering cultural, organizational and personal sources of movements' power, the book emphasizes the rise and fall of social movements as part of political struggle and as the outcome of changes in political opportunity structure.
Review
"This is unquestionably a seminal work, one that lies fundamentally in the literature on social movements....an exceptionally rich synthesis and weaving together of research and literature on social movements..." Studies in Comparative International Development "Power in Movement overviews, analyzes, summarizes, and distills some of the best research on social movements throughout the world. Tarrow's clear writing style, attention to recent movements, and inclusion of gender politics into the analysis all make this a valuable and insightful book for movement scholars. The implicit optimism about the potential for the weak to humble the powerful through citizen mobilization is heartening to those interested in the dynamics of social change." Journal of Politics "The brilliance of this book is the author's ability to transcend conventional schools of social movement analysis....It is difficult to see movements in the same light after reading this book." American Political Science Review ."..[an] extraordinary monograph....this is the most comprehensive, holistic analysis of the history of social movements yet published....outstanding....Power in Movement is essential for all serious students of social movements, political sociology, historical sociology, and political science." American Journal of Sociology "Drawing on a rich array of social theories and historical cases, Tarrow has provided the most comprehensive and convincing study of social movements in the literature to date....This book displays the mastery and sophistication that comes from three decades of original research and disciplined reflection on the research of others. It should become the definitive study of social movements and its literature." Choice "Sidney Tarrow's Power in Movement analytically specifies and empirically elaborates concepts such as modular repertoires, political opportunity structure, social transaction costs and cycles of protest all in order to portray the logic of collective challenge. If Max Weber was right when he saw the essence of theory in the creation of clear concepts, Tarrow's book is a theoretical gem. It does for social movements what Weber did for the sociology of religion." David D. Laitin, University of Chicago "This study is a seminal contribution to the literature on social movements. It synthesizes earlier resource mobilization and cultural interpretations of movements. And it adds an important new dimension by focusing squarely on the influence of political context on movement dynamics." Frances Fox Piven, The City University of New York "Beautifully written, analytically rich in its synthesis of the various literatures that bear on the study of social movements and revolutions, Power in Movements is an altogether seminal work. Not since Tilly's From Mobilization to Revolution has a single book advanced the study of collective action like Power in Movement does. I have no doubt that Tarrow's work will earn for itself the wide readership and long 'shelf life' it so richly deserves." Doug McAdam, University of Arizona "I cheer Sidney Tarrow for having integrated reflections on collective action in general, recent work on social movements, and his own investigations of European struggles with a wide-ranging search of history for connections and comparisons. Power in Movement shines with insight and information." Charles Tilly, New School for Social Research ."..Power in Movement reflects very well where the field is at this moment and identifies the animating questions for an ambitious agenda of ongoing work." William A. Gamson, Politics, Social Movements, and the State
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