Soc 924 – Dynamics of Contention (the book)

May 6: Dynamics of Contention. Doug McAdam, Sidney Tarrow, Charles Tilly.

We will be reading this book together. I expect that much of it will build upon what we have already read in Tarrow’s book.

Part 1: What’s the Problem? (Meta-theoretical meta-methodological discussions. Critique of the past, movement to the future.)

  • Ch 1. What are they shouting about? Overview. Definitions. Contained vs transgressive contention (a distinction I don’t buy). From polity model to dynamics of contention. Summary of “Classic social movement agenda”. Discussions of intellectual resources (theoretical traditions) and move to relational perspective. Discussion of causal mechanisms. Mechanisms & processes as the keys.
  • Ch2. Lineaments of contention. Mobilization of people into movements. Towards a dynamic mobilization model. Social construction of actors over time.
  • Ch 3. Comparisons, Mechanisms, and Episodes. State capacity and democracy. Discussion of how to make comparisons.

Part 2: Tentative Solutions.

  • Ch4. Mobilization in Comparative Perspective. Not testing general theory: looking for mechanisms. Detailed case studies of Mau Mau in Kenya, Yellow revolution in Philippines. Focus on mechanisms, not general principles.
  • Ch 5. Contentious Action. Who makes claims & why? Who do they say they are? What forms do their claims making take? South Asian examples, again focus on mechanisms.
  • Ch 6. Transofrmations of Contention. Trajectories. Different possibilities, looking for mechanisms that go different ways.

Part 3. Applications and Conclusions.

  • Ch 7. Revolutionary Trajectories.
  • Ch 8. Nationalism, National Disintegration, and Contention. Nationalism as a form of contention. Language, ethnicity. Statebuilding. Italy. Soviet Union.
  • Ch 9. Contentious Democratization. Switzerland & Mexico as cases.
  • Ch 10. Conclusions. Away from one actor in west to relational, international. Methodological implications pp 312-3. Three robust processes: actor constitution, polarization, scale shift.