resource-mobilization theory

(noun)

Resource-mobilization theory places resources at the center of the emergence and success of social movements. In this case, resources include knowledge, money, media, labor, solidarity, legitimacy, and internal and external support from a powerful elite.

Related Terms

Examples of resource-mobilization theory in the following topics:

  • Resource Mobilization Approach

    • The resource-mobilization approach is a theory that seeks to explain the emergence of social movements.
    • Resource-Mobilization Theory emphasizes the importance of resources in social movement development and success.
    • The theory argues that social movements develop when individuals with grievances are able to mobilize sufficient resources to take action.
    • Resource mobilization theory also divides social movements according to their position among other social movements.
    • Resource-Mobilization Theory emphasizes the importance of resources in social movement development and success.

  • External Sources of Social Change

    • There are many theories of social change.
    • Political Process Theory is similar to resource mobilization theory (which considers the mobilization of resources to be the key ingredient of a successful movement) in many regards, and emphasizes political opportunities as the social structure that is important for social movement development.
    • "Organizational strength" falls in line with resource-mobilization theory, arguing that in order for a social movement to organize it must have strong leadership and sufficient resources.
    • Some groups may have the insurgent consciousness and resources to mobilize, but because political opportunities are closed, they will not have any success.
    • Critics of the political process theory and resource-mobilization theory point out that neither theory discusses the culture of movements to any great degree.

  • Social Movement Theories

    • Resource-Mobilization Theory emphasizes the importance of resources in social movement development and success.
    • The theory argues that social movements develop when individuals with grievances are able to mobilize sufficient resources to take action.
    • Critics of the political process theory and resource-mobilization theory point out that neither theory discusses movement culture to any great degree.
    • Culture theory builds upon both the political process and resource-mobilization theories but extends them in two ways.
    • Both resource-mobilization theory and political process theory include a sense of injustice in their approaches.

  • Sources of Social Change

    • Some of the better-known approaches include deprivation theory, mass-society theory, structural-strain theory, resource-mobilization theory, political process theory and culture theory.
    • Deprivation theory and resource-mobilization have been discussed in detail in this chapter's section entitled "Social Movements. "
    • Culture theory builds upon both the theories of political process (the existence of political opportunities is crucial for movement development) and resource-mobilization (the mobilization of sufficient resources is central to movement formation and success), but it also extends them in two ways.
    • Both resource-mobilization theory and political process theory incorporate the concept of injustice into their approaches.
    • Analyze the similarities and differences in the various social movement theories - deprivation, mass-society, structural-strain, resource-mobilization, political process and culture

  • Sociology Today

    • The traditional focuses of sociology have included social stratification, social class, culture, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance.
    • Presently, sociological theories lack a single overarching foundation, and there is little consensus about what such a framework should consist of.
    • In the humanistic parts of the discipline, these paradigms are referred to as social theory, often shared with the humanities.
    • These include new institutionalism, social networks, social identity, social and cultural capital, toolkit and cognitive theories of culture, and resource mobilization.
    • Analytical sociology is an ongoing effort to systematize many of these middle-range theories.

  • Global Stratification and Inequality

    • A sociologist might use the following types of evidence to support modernization and development theory, dependency theory, and world systems theory respectively: Poor, rural areas of India have seen increased local wealth and income with the introduction of mobile ATMs, suggesting that access to modern capitalism and technology can reduce economic inequality.
    • A sociologist might use the following types of evidence to support modernization and development theory, dependency theory, and world systems theory respectively: Poor, rural areas of India have seen increased local wealth and income with the introduction of mobile ATMs, suggesting that access to modern capitalism and technology can reduce economic inequality.
    • Material resources are not distributed equally to people of all economic statuses.
    • According to dependency theory, wealthy countries would not be as rich as they are today if they did not have these materials, and the key to reversing inequality is to relieve former colonies of their debts so that they can benefit from their own industry and resources.
    • According to world systems theory as articulated by sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein, core countries are at the top of the global hierarchy as they can extract material resources and labor from less developed countries.

  • The Conflict Perspective: Class Conflict and Scarce Resources

    • Conflict theory of stratification holds that inequality is harmful to society because it creates a fixed system of winners and losers.
    • Nannies, who are employed as informal, unregulated labor, are an example of lower class employees with little chance of upward mobility and few protections against exploitation.
    • According to conflict theory, social stratification benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor.
    • Nannies, who are often minority women, are one example of lower class workers with little chance for upward mobility.
    • Compare the conflict theory of inequality to the funcionalist theory of inequality

  • Types of Social Mobility

    • Social mobility can be vertical and horizontal, absolute and relative, and between generations.
    • Vertical social mobility refers to moving up or down the so-called social ladder.
    • The British middle class thus experienced absolute upward mobility.
    • Economic capital includes a person's financial and material resources, such as income and accumulated wealth.
    • Cultural capital includes resources ranging from holding a graduate degree to having a grasp of a group's customs and rituals, both of which may confer an advantage in job markets and social exchanges.

  • Social Mobility

    • Historical events can thus alter the extent of social mobility seen in countries.
    • Social mobility typically refers to vertical mobility—movement of individuals or groups up or down from one socio-economic level to another, often by changing jobs or marriage.
    • Economic capital includes a person's financial and material resources, such as income and accumulated wealth.
    • Cultural capital includes resources ranging from holding a graduate degree to having a grasp of a group's customs and rituals, both of which may confer an advantage in job markets and social exchanges.
    • Several studies have been conducted to compare social mobility between countries.

  • Social Mobility

    • Social mobility is the movement of an individual or group from one social position to another over time.
    • Social mobility typically refers to vertical mobility, movement of individuals or groups up or down from one socio-economic level to another, often by changing jobs or marriage.
    • Nonetheless, social mobility can also refer to horizontal mobility, movement from one position to another within the same social level, as when someone changes between two equally prestigious occupations.
    • Economic capital includes a person's financial and material resources, such as income and accumulated wealth.
    • Cultural capital includes resources ranging from holding a graduate degree to having a grasp of a group's customs and rituals, both of which may confer an advantage in job markets and social exchanges.