Sociology 432: Social Movements

Eric L. Hirsch, "Sacrifice for the Cause: Group Processes, Recruitment, and Commitment in a Student Social Movement." Nonconversion of Support"

Chapter 23 (303-311) in McAdam & Snow.

American Sociological Review, October 1990, 55: 243-254. On JSTOR

This article talks about what social movements can do to build up the commitment of members and potential participants. You need to understand the four mechanisms that Hirsch describes and think about other examples of their use in social movements. Then we will try to evaluate their advantages and disadvantages for movement success.

The four mechanisms Hirsch identifies are:

• consciousness-raising,
• collective empowerment,
• polarization, and
• group decision-making

Think about other movements we have discussed or seen on films. Are there examples of these mechanisms in those movements?

What about movements that you have participated in or observed? Have they used any of these mechanisms? Have they helped at all?

What other mechanisms are available to social movements that could also increase commitment? For example, Hirsch emphasizes "non-hierarchical non-bureaucratic" methods of increasing commitment. From past reading we know some of the possible downsides of this type of organization. How do hierarchical and bureaucratic social movements solve the problem of commitment?