- Resource mobilization
Resource mobilization is a
sociological theory that forms part of the study ofsocial movement s. It stresses the ability of movement's members to acquire resources and to mobilize people towards the furtherance of their goals. [Kendall 2006] In contrast to the traditionalcollective behaviour paradigm that views social movements asdeviant aberrations, resource mobilization--which emerged in the 1970s--views social movements as formed by rationalsocial institution s andsocial actors takingpolitical action . [Buechler 1999]According to resource mobilization theory, it is a core group of sophisticated strategists that works towards harnessing the disaffected energies, attracting money and supporters, capturing the media’s attention, forging alliances with those in power, and creating an organizational structure. This theory assumes that without such resources, social movements cannot be effective, and further that
dissent alone is not enough to engender anysocial change . [Kendall 2006]This theory is based on the assumptions that individuals are rational. Also, it views social movements as a
goal-oriented activity. Thus, followingrational choice theory , individuals are viewed as weighing the costs and benefits of movement participation and deciding to act only if benefits outweigh costs. When movement goals take the form ofpublic good s, thefree rider dilemma has to be taken into consideration.Organization is more important than acquisition of resources, or than resources themselves. Organization focuses on interactions between social movement organizations (SMOs) and other organizations (other SMOs, businesses, governments, etc.). Organizationinfrastructure is another aspect of study in this approach. [Kendall 2006]Resource mobilization theory may be divided into two camps:
* John McCarthy and
Mayer Zald are the originators and major advocates of the classic enterpreneurial (economic) version of this theory, while
*Charles Tilly andDoug McAdam are proponents of the political version of resource mobilization. [Kendall 2006]The enterpreneurial model blends
economics andorganization theory to account forcollective action . It argues thatgrievances are not enough to lead to the creation of a movement, and instead that access to and control over resources is the most important factor. This model states that the flow or resources from and towards the group can be best explained by the laws ofsupply and demand , and that individual or group involvement (or lack thereof) is accounted for byrational choice theory . Critics, however, point out that resource mobilization theory fails to explainsocial movement communities . [Kendall 2006]The political version of RMT focuses on the
political struggle instead of economic factors. [Kendall 2006] Critics have argued that it fails to account for social change brought about by groups with limited resources and that it marginalizes the role of grievances, identity and culture as well as many macro-sociological issues. [Kendall 2006]In the 1980s, other theories of social movements [Buechler 1999] challenged the resource mobilization framework:
*social constructionism
*new social movement theory See also
*
Mass mobilization External links
* [http://www.rec.org/REC/Publications/BeyondBorders/ch22.html Resource mobilization approach]
* [http://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_site/encyclop/mobil_res.html Resource Mobilization]References
*
Diana Kendall , "Sociology In Our Times", Thomson Wadsworth, 2005, ISBN 0-534-64629-8 [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0534646298&id=kzU-gtx2VfoC&pg=PA531&lpg=PA531&dq=%22Resource+Mobilization%22&sig=NgTePMtdl2stO7V2FofPqeZuP5I&hl=en Google Print, p.531]
*Steven M. Buechler , "Social Movements in Advanced Capitalism", Oxford University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-19-512604-1, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0195126041&id=EQdQjRQlwKEC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&q=resource+mobilization&vq=resource+mobilization&dq=%22resource+mobilization%22+%22social+movements%22&sig=D0NnjXMkCEqR0BCU-y1KzjgUiyk Google Print, p.34]Further reading
*John D. McCarthy and Mayer N. Zald, "The Enduring Vitality of the Resource Mobilization Theory of Social Movements" in Jonathan H. Turner (ed.), "Handbook of Sociological Theory", 2001, p.535-65
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