CONSTRUCTIVIST ANALYSIS AND MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS - CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATIONS

From the 1980s onwards a constructivist viewpoint has developed within the sociology of social movements. This new position is characterized by a multitude of different and partly contradictory meanings. Furthe r discussion of some of the key issues within this perspective is need ed in order to understand more precisely how social movements and move ment organizations are constructed. Two basic elements of constructivi st analysis are proposed: the capacity of movement organizations to co nstruct a powerful identity and effective strategies, and the given op portunities in society to defend or advance the ideology of the moveme nt organizations. The conclusion is that such a conceptual framework c ould further our understanding of the internal and external factors wh ich produce what we know as movement organizations. (C) Scandinavian S ociological Association 1996