Social movements: Changing paradigms and forms of politics

Theories of collective action have undergone a number of paradigm shifts, f rom "mass behavior" to "resource mobilization," "political process," and "n ew social movements." Debates have centered on the applicability of these f rameworks in diverse settings, on the periodization of collective action, o n the divisive or unifying impact of identity politics, and on the appropri ateness of political engagement by researchers. Transnational activist netw orks are developing new protest repertoires that challenge anthropologists and other scholars to rethink conventional approaches to social movements.