Social Movements and Global Social Change: The Rising Tide

(Paperback)

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Description

Social Movements and Global Social Change teaches students not only about how social change occurs but also how social movements can contribute to this change. The book links two concepts in sociology that are often related in real life, but that can seem disconnected in traditional approaches to teaching these courses.

The book examines different types of social movements, including those often ignored in social change textbooks, such as riots, migration, and disorganized protest. It also looks at citizens rights and inequality in connection to social movements and change. The book features global perspectives and examples throughout.

Reviews

Schaeffer identifies a significant set of global social changes over the past 200 years and then considers the role of diverse social movements in shaping them. Starting with the importance of moving from dynastic empires to republicsthat is, constitutional governments based on popular sovereigntythe author traces the historical rise, democratization, and expansion of citizenship, beginning with the US. In addition to focusing first on social change and then examining how social movements contributed to it, a distinctive feature of this work is its consideration of how both liberty and equality have advanced in some ways, while subordination and inequality have endured in others. Schaeffer describes three types of social movementsaspiring, altruistic, and restrictionistthat create communities to make, assist, advance, and/or suppress change. The book closes with a critical discussion of primary social movement theories. The author takes an optimistic long view of social movements and social change 'tempered by a realistic appreciation of its limits.' Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most levels/libraries. * Choice Reviews *
Robert Schaeffer has the extraordinary gift to describe and dissect complex patterns of global history and change in clear, compelling, lucid prose, showing how movements from below have made historyand now must make the future. Social Movements and Global Social Change will become a classic account; it is no less a powerful statement for posterity about where the world stood in 2014. -- Marcus Rediker, author of The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom
This is a superb read for anyone interested in change and globalization around the world. In an articulate argument Schaeffer describes several kinds of social movements thatfor better and worsehave given rise to nations, cultures, human betterment, and tragic inequality in a globalizing world of change. His argument is exquisitely documented using both historical and contemporary scholarly sources, often drawn from his own voluminous research and writings. It illustrates why Schaeffer is widely known and respected among his scholarly peers. -- Charles L. Harper, Creighton University

Author Bio

Robert K. Schaeffer is professor of global sociology at Kansas State University. He is the author of several books, including Understanding Globalization.