Social Constructions of Activists and Constituents in Collective Action

活动人士试图说服政府官员， 执行特定政策往往试图动员公众 舆论和广泛的公众支持。 能力 这样做不仅受到他们自己技能的影响， 它们与更大的支持者的联系的程度和性质， 以及他们与其他政治行动者的关系。 在欧洲 民主，这尤其包括政党。 公共 对一个最初受欢迎的问题的支持实际上可能 随着这个问题的政治化， 活动人士不能 控制舆论，而必须改变自己的想法， 来回应这些不断变化的问题定义。 对于这个项目，纵向调查数据对荷兰“和平” 运动”活动进行统计分析，以提供输入 理论化。 这些数据是在荷兰收集的 在一场大规模的运动之前和之后， 给政府寄明信片反对部署巡航导弹 导弹 这场运动最终失败了， 批准部署。 已经完成了对下列样本的调查： 四个社区的公众，以及所有 这四个和另外六个社区的积极分子。 根据这些数据发展的理论将表明， 作为集体行动基础的利益本身 根据政治上的一致性和身份来构建。

Activists seeking to persuade government officials to implement particular policies often try to mobilize public opinion and widespread public displays of support. Their ability to do so is affected not only by their own skills, but by the extent and nature of their linkages with a larger constituency, and by their relations to other political actors. In European democracies, this especially includes political parties. Public support for an issue which is initially popular may actually decline as the issue becomes politicized. Activists cannot control public opinion, and must instead change their own ideas in response to these shifting definitions of an issue. For this project, longitudinal survey data on a Dutch "peace movement" campaign are analyzed statistically to provide input for theorizing. The data were collected in the Netherlands before and after a massive campaign in which millions of citizens sent the government postcards opposing deployment of Cruise missiles. The campaign ultimately failed when the government approved deployment. Surveys have been completed for samples of the general public in four communities, as well as for all activists in those same four and six additional communities. Theory developed in light of the data will show how the costs and benefits that underlie collective action are themselves constructed in light of political allegiances and identities.