New Social Movements : From Ideology to Identity

Cultural changes have led to a proliferation of new social movements in Europe and the United States. This book helps to redefine the field of social movements, and offer an understanding of them through cross-cultural research, comparison with older movements, and examine the dimensions of identity individual, collective, and melding of the two.

Cultural changes over the past two decades have led to a proliferation of new social movements in Europe and the United States. New social movements such as ecology, peace, ethnicity, New Age philosophies, alternative medicine, and gender and sexual identity are among those that are emerging to challenge traditional categories in social movement theory. Synthesizing classic and modern perspectives, the contributors help to redefine the field of social movements and advance an understanding of them through cross-cultural research, comparison with older movements, and an examination of the dimensions of identity individual, collective, and melding of the two. Enrique Larana is Titular Professor of Sociology at the University of Madrid, Spain. Hank Johnston is a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at San Diego State University. Joseph R. Gusfield is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of California, San Diego.