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Introduction to the Social and Psychological Dynamics of Collective Action
Author(s) -
Van Zomeren Martijn,
Iyer Aarti
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.2009.01618.x
Subject(s) - collective action , disadvantaged , action (physics) , resource mobilization , social identity theory , diversity (politics) , social psychology , dynamics (music) , social dynamics , collective identity , sociology , social change , identity (music) , relative deprivation , resource (disambiguation) , psychology , public relations , political science , social group , social movement , social science , pedagogy , computer network , physics , quantum mechanics , politics , anthropology , acoustics , computer science , law
Collective action is one of the core mechanisms of social change, and thus of major importance to social scientists, practitioners, and policy‐makers. Our goal in editing this issue is to bring together recent advances on the social and psychological dynamics of collective action among members of disadvantaged as well as advantaged groups. This article introduces the contributions to this issue after a brief review of the major psychological perspectives on collective action (social identity, relative deprivation, and resource mobilization theories), and a discussion of the considerable diversity in collective action research in terms of contexts, populations, and measures. We hope that this issue contributes to a more multi‐faceted and integrative understanding of the social and psychological dynamics of collective action in terms of theory, research, policy, and practice.