My Lecture Notes - 2018
Lecture Notes
Chapter 15: Social Change, Social Movements, and Collective Action
Chapter Outline
I. Social change involves change over time in every aspect of the social world. The change ranges from
those affecting individuals to transformations having a global impact. Social change has always been a
central issue in sociology. Example: Arab Spring.
II. Social Movements are sustained and intentional collective efforts, usually operating outside
established institutional channels, designed to either bring about or retard social change.
a. The Tea Party
i. The Tea Party, named after the Boston Tea Party, stands for “taxed enough already.” The Tea Party is
not a political party, but it wields great power over and within the Republican Party and emerged as a
protest against high taxes and governmental interventions.
ii. The basic characteristics that make the Tea Party a social movement include the following:
1. It is a collective effort involving a significant number of people.
2. It has been sustained for several years.
3. It was brought into being intentionally.
4. It operates outside of established institutional channels.
5. It is an effort to retard political changes, such as tax increases and other governmental actions.
6. It is an attempt to bring about substantial political change in the Republican Party itself, and in the
government as a whole.
b. Feminist Movements
i. Based on the ideologies of feminism: the belief that women are equal to men socially, politically, and
economically.
ii. The Women’s Movement in the United States has come in waves:
1. Wave 1 occurred in the 1840s and focused specifically on the issue of suffrage and women gaining
the right to vote (Figure 15.1).
2. Wave 2 began in the 1960s and was a direct attack against a system of patriarchy, or the system of
male domination and female subordination.
a. Specific issues addressed included sexual harassment and discrimination, equal opportunities in
education and the workforce, and issues of poor women.
b. Some women--women of color, lesbians, working-class women--protested that their interests were
not being adequately reflected in or addressed by the more publicly visible women’s movement.
3. Wave 3 occurred in the early 1990s and addressed issues associated with racial and ethnic inclusion,
with more focus on racism, classism, and homophobia, and violence against women.
a. The movement also addresses the place of women in the larger culture and a variety of specific
issues, such as the wage gap between men and women, sexual harassment, violence against women, and
sexual assault and rape.
, My Lecture Notes - 2018
b. Cyberfeminism and activism on the internet can be seen as part of the third wave, although there are
those who see these developments as marking the dawning of a fourth wave.
iii. The Global Women’s Movement
1. Can be traced back to the 1830s and carries through the 1860s. The World Women’s Christian
Temperance Union focused on the issue of alcohol and political equity for women.
2. Suffrage also was an issue globally and led to the formation of the International Women’s Suffrage
Alliance in 1904.
3. The United Nations addressed issues associated with women’s rights in 1975.
c. LGBTQ Movements
i. Can be traced back to the early 1890s.
1. World War II and the Lavender Scare
a. The World War II era is often classified as a golden age for gays and lesbians.
b. The United States entered a period of “moral decay” in 1948, where both homosexuality and
communism were publicly condemned.
c. The Lavender Scare: a governmental-sponsored attack on sexual minorities--those who engaged in
same-sex behaviors.
d. In 1975, it became illegal to discriminate against gays and lesbian in hiring and firing decisions.
2. The U.S.-Based Homophile Movement
a. The homophile movement refers to gay rights organizations that formed out of the Mattachine
Society.
b. In 1955, the Daughters of Bilitis was formed as a space for gay women. This and other similar
organizations emphasized education and attempted to gain mainstream acceptance.
3. Stonewall
a. The 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn is said to have sparked the beginning of the modern gay rights
movement. During this time, police raids of gay bars and other forms of government-sponsored
persecution were common.
b. Today, gay pride days and marches continue to commemorate the assertion of collective queer
identity and entitlement to rights that emerged as a result of Stonewall.
4. Lesbian Herstory
a. Unsatisfied by mainstream gay and feminist movement efforts, many lesbian separatist groups
emerged, such as the Furies--who framed lesbianism as a political choice in opposition to male
supremacy.
b. Many lesbian separatists argued that the true mark of feminism is to totally remove themselves from
male-dominated frames.
5. HIV/AIDS, ACT UP, and Queer Nation
a. The recognition of HIV/AIDS by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had a profound
impact on the gay and lesbian community. Political pressure directed toward pharmaceutical companies
resulted in the availability of AZT for patients.
Lecture Notes
Chapter 15: Social Change, Social Movements, and Collective Action
Chapter Outline
I. Social change involves change over time in every aspect of the social world. The change ranges from
those affecting individuals to transformations having a global impact. Social change has always been a
central issue in sociology. Example: Arab Spring.
II. Social Movements are sustained and intentional collective efforts, usually operating outside
established institutional channels, designed to either bring about or retard social change.
a. The Tea Party
i. The Tea Party, named after the Boston Tea Party, stands for “taxed enough already.” The Tea Party is
not a political party, but it wields great power over and within the Republican Party and emerged as a
protest against high taxes and governmental interventions.
ii. The basic characteristics that make the Tea Party a social movement include the following:
1. It is a collective effort involving a significant number of people.
2. It has been sustained for several years.
3. It was brought into being intentionally.
4. It operates outside of established institutional channels.
5. It is an effort to retard political changes, such as tax increases and other governmental actions.
6. It is an attempt to bring about substantial political change in the Republican Party itself, and in the
government as a whole.
b. Feminist Movements
i. Based on the ideologies of feminism: the belief that women are equal to men socially, politically, and
economically.
ii. The Women’s Movement in the United States has come in waves:
1. Wave 1 occurred in the 1840s and focused specifically on the issue of suffrage and women gaining
the right to vote (Figure 15.1).
2. Wave 2 began in the 1960s and was a direct attack against a system of patriarchy, or the system of
male domination and female subordination.
a. Specific issues addressed included sexual harassment and discrimination, equal opportunities in
education and the workforce, and issues of poor women.
b. Some women--women of color, lesbians, working-class women--protested that their interests were
not being adequately reflected in or addressed by the more publicly visible women’s movement.
3. Wave 3 occurred in the early 1990s and addressed issues associated with racial and ethnic inclusion,
with more focus on racism, classism, and homophobia, and violence against women.
a. The movement also addresses the place of women in the larger culture and a variety of specific
issues, such as the wage gap between men and women, sexual harassment, violence against women, and
sexual assault and rape.
, My Lecture Notes - 2018
b. Cyberfeminism and activism on the internet can be seen as part of the third wave, although there are
those who see these developments as marking the dawning of a fourth wave.
iii. The Global Women’s Movement
1. Can be traced back to the 1830s and carries through the 1860s. The World Women’s Christian
Temperance Union focused on the issue of alcohol and political equity for women.
2. Suffrage also was an issue globally and led to the formation of the International Women’s Suffrage
Alliance in 1904.
3. The United Nations addressed issues associated with women’s rights in 1975.
c. LGBTQ Movements
i. Can be traced back to the early 1890s.
1. World War II and the Lavender Scare
a. The World War II era is often classified as a golden age for gays and lesbians.
b. The United States entered a period of “moral decay” in 1948, where both homosexuality and
communism were publicly condemned.
c. The Lavender Scare: a governmental-sponsored attack on sexual minorities--those who engaged in
same-sex behaviors.
d. In 1975, it became illegal to discriminate against gays and lesbian in hiring and firing decisions.
2. The U.S.-Based Homophile Movement
a. The homophile movement refers to gay rights organizations that formed out of the Mattachine
Society.
b. In 1955, the Daughters of Bilitis was formed as a space for gay women. This and other similar
organizations emphasized education and attempted to gain mainstream acceptance.
3. Stonewall
a. The 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn is said to have sparked the beginning of the modern gay rights
movement. During this time, police raids of gay bars and other forms of government-sponsored
persecution were common.
b. Today, gay pride days and marches continue to commemorate the assertion of collective queer
identity and entitlement to rights that emerged as a result of Stonewall.
4. Lesbian Herstory
a. Unsatisfied by mainstream gay and feminist movement efforts, many lesbian separatist groups
emerged, such as the Furies--who framed lesbianism as a political choice in opposition to male
supremacy.
b. Many lesbian separatists argued that the true mark of feminism is to totally remove themselves from
male-dominated frames.
5. HIV/AIDS, ACT UP, and Queer Nation
a. The recognition of HIV/AIDS by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had a profound
impact on the gay and lesbian community. Political pressure directed toward pharmaceutical companies
resulted in the availability of AZT for patients.
