Social Movements and Collective Behavior

Collective behavior is a broad field of study that includes social interactions, collective action problems, game theory, prospect theory, social networks, network effects, information cascade, increasing returns, social influence, epidemics, social movements, and mass media. The study of social movements focuses more narrowly on the role of social structure, authorities and movement participants, and leadership in the origins, mobilization, participation, strategy and tactics, and potential for success of social movements. Graduate students study these topics in SOC 543 (Collective Behavior), 626 (Social Movements), 731 (Intermediate Social Psychology: Group and Collective Processes), 913 (Seminar in Social Change), and 924 (Seminar in Political Sociology), as well as C&E SOC 753 (Community Organization and Change). Social movements are also covered in research training seminars and more specialized graduate courses. For example, Sociology 670 (Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy in America since 1890) covers the American labor movement, and Sociology 940 (special topics in the sociology of economic change and development) sometimes focuses on social movements, labor movements, and urban protests in the global South.