The Civil Rights Movement and the Logic of Social Change

Social movements have wrought dramatic changes upon American society. This observation necessarily raises the question: Why do some movements succeed in their endeavors while others fail? This book answers this question by introducing an analytical framework that begins with a shift in emphasis away from the characteristics of movements toward the targets of protests and affected bystanders, their interests, and why they respond as they do. Such a shift brings into focus how targets and other interests assess both their exposure to movement disruptions as well as the costs of conceding to movement demands. From this vantage point, diverse outcomes stem not only from a movement's capabilities for protest but also from differences among targets and others in their vulnerability to disruption and the substance of movement goals. Applied to the civil rights movement, this approach recasts conventional accounts of the movement's outcome in local struggles and national politics, and also clarifies the broader logic of social change.

Author: Joseph E. Luders
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 02/01/2010
Pages: 260
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780521133395

Review Citation(s):
Choice 08/01/2010

About the Author
Luders, Joseph E.: - Joseph Luders is Gottesman Assistant Professor of Political Science at Yeshiva University. His research focuses on social movements, civil rights politics and policy, and American political development.