COLLECTIVE IDENTITY AND INFORMAL GROUPS IN REVOLUTIONARY MOBILIZATION- EAST-GERMANY IN 1989

East Germany's unanticipated revolution in 1989 poses an interesting c hallenge to social movement research. The relatively spontaneous, peac eful revolution that toppled the communist regime cannot be fully expl ained by the prevailing theories of revolution and collective action. While both structurally oriented and identify-oriented theory offers i nsight into the revolutionary process, neither are completely satisfac tory. Most theories assume a relatively open field of political contes tation and conditions of relative social freedom that were absent in E ast Germany. I suggest a synthetic, historically specific approach in which collective identities are situated with small-scale social netwo rks. The crucial factors in making the revolution possible were! share d grievances and the expectation of social solidarity. Though they wer e politically subordinated, ordinary East Germans expressed grievances and nurtured opposition in small circles of confidants. Reference to collective identities helped to mobilize and frame opposition in East Germany making a swift, unexpected revolution possible once the stab b egan to founder.