The New Social Movements: A Historical Overview

Author(s): Karam Bidyanath Khuman

Abstract:

The paper attempts to provide an overview of the historical and intellectual developments that led to the emergence of New Social Movement theory as a tradition in social movement studies. By undertaking an in- depth study of the original works of scholars such as Jurgen Habermas, Alain Touraine and Alberto Melucci, this paper tries to understand the peculiar social and political context that gives rise to a different kind of conflict constituted by actors whose identity are reconstructed, playing central roles in the rise of new social movements. By further drawing on important critiques of new social movement theory, it argues that conceptualisation of certain movements as new throws up both challenges and new insights into the study of social movements.

keywords:
New social movements, culture, post- industrial society, technocrats, history, identity, labour movement.

Pages: 48-54     |    39 View     |    1 Download