Doctoral Dissertation Research: Social Movements and Global Transformations

社会运动组织如何适应其环境中的开放和限制？这些适应会增加成功的机会吗？许多研究着眼于让运动蓬勃发展的条件；但对他们自己的工作如何增强影响力的关注要少得多。这项研究将调查运动参与者在计划中考虑的因素，以及参与者行动和结果之间的联系。这位研究人员将通过对美国三个反核组织的比较案例研究，检验在不断变化的全球环境中社会运动的影响。这三个组织可信地声称对立法产生了可衡量的影响。这些团体--内华达州的顺达海网络、北卡罗来纳州的皮埃蒙特和平项目和新泽西和平行动联盟--因族裔和社会经济组成不同而被选中，以反映不同程度获得决策和资源的人的关切。这项定性研究使用访谈来阐明个人对其问题的理解以及他们如何思考自己的策略；参与者观察以揭示他们如何对这些想法采取行动，并提供他们不用语言表达的适应的证据；以及焦点小组以揭示争议和共同的历史。对当前和过去的内部文件、档案材料和媒体报道的分析将澄清小组的信息、行动和结果，并对参与者的记忆进行检查。这个项目将社会运动结果理论与政治机会理论联系起来，同时开发方法来调查复杂社会情况下的因果关系。它将在探讨社会运动作为代表不足的人民的声音和作为对民主运作至关重要的大众教育机构方面产生广泛影响。该项目提供的意见将使社会受益，因为它将为组织自我评估、教育美国公众解决冲突和影响政府政策以及努力建立一个更公平的社会提供知识。研究结果将对所研究的广泛的社会运动和社区组织产生影响。

How do social movement organizations adapt to openings and constraints in their environment? Do these adaptations increase chances for success? Much research looks at conditions that allow movements to flourish; but far less attention has focused on how their own work can enhance impact. This research will investigate factors movement actors consider in planning, and the connection between participant actions and results. The researcher will examine social movement influence in a changing global environment through comparative case study of three US anti-nuclear groups that make credible claims to having had measurable impacts on legislation. These groups, the Shundahai Network in Nevada, the Piedmont Peace Project in North Carolina, and the New Jersey Coalition for Peace Action, have been selected for diverse ethnic and socio-economic composition, in order to reflect the concerns of people with varied degrees of access to decision-making and resources. This qualitative study uses interviews to illuminate individuals' understanding of their issue and how they think through their strategies; participant observation to reveal how they act on these ideas, and give evidence of adaptations they do not verbalize; and focus groups to uncover controversies and shared history. Analysis of current and past internal documents, archival material and media coverage will clarify the groups' messages, actions, and outcomes, and provide a check on the memories of the participants. This project links theory of social movement outcomes with that of political opportunity, while developing methodology to investigate cause and effect relationships in complex social situations. It will have broad impact in exploring social movements as voices of underrepresented peoples and as institutions of popular education important to the functioning of a democracy. Observations provided by this project will benefit society by providing knowledge for organizational self-evaluation; for educating the American public about resolving conflict and influencing government policy; and for working towards a more equitable society. Results will have implications for a wide range of social movement and community organizations beyond those studied.