Knowra Resource mobilization theory Resource mobilization theory Resource mobilization theory explains social movements by examining how they acquire and organize resources, including money, labor, skills, networks, and legitimacy.
Social movement organization : A formal or informal organization that coordinates collective action around a social or political cause. Such organizations turn scattered support into coordinated movement activity.
John D. McCarthy : An American sociologist known for research on social movements and collective action. His work with Mayer Zald helped formulate the theory's organizational account.
Relative deprivation theory : A theory that links protest to perceived disadvantage relative to expectations or comparison groups. It emphasizes grievances, whereas resource mobilization stresses organizational capacity.
Civil rights movement : A multigenerational movement in the United States to end racial discrimination and secure equal rights. Churches, legal groups, and local networks supplied organizing capacity and support.
Political opportunity : Features of a political environment that make collective action more or less feasible. External openings shape whether organized resources can influence authorities.
Mayer N. Zald : An American sociologist whose research helped establish resource mobilization theory. His analyses connected movement organizations, resource competition, and social change.
New social movement theory : An approach interpreting newer movements through identity, culture, and postindustrial social change. It foregrounds values and identity more than the material resources emphasized here.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People : A U.S. civil rights organization founded in 1909 to advance racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and organizing. Its staff, membership, and legal resources exemplify sustained organizational mobilization.
Collective action : Coordinated action by people pursuing a shared objective. Movements use organized resources to sustain collective action.
Theories of collective behavior : Approaches that explain crowds and movements through social interaction, emergent norms, and shared behavior. Resource mobilization theory shifted attention from crowd psychology to organization and capacity.
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