Social Movements and the Politics of Change

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Social movements play a central role in defining the form and function of political institutions, and why and how they change. From nationalist movements in Latin America, Asia, and Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries to the movements of the 1960s, where people organised in support of civil rights, gay rights, feminism, peace, and the environment, social movements have played a fundamental role in shaping the architecture of political institutions. More recently, new technologies have furthered cross-border organisation and intensified the global context of extra-institutional politics. This unit examines how and why people participate in politics through social movements, and the complex relationship between rulemaking and rulebreaking. Covering a range of movements from Sovereign Citizens to Extinction Rebellion, the unit enables students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of social movements and their actions; the drivers of their formation and methods of organisation; movements' relationships with states, institutions and markets; and their impacts.