Crooks in the Capitol: Research in contemporary social movements: a case study of Guatemala 2015

Olsen, Daniel Rosengren

10. term

Culture, Communication and Globalization. English

2016

2016-07-29

83

Dette speciale undersøger Guatemalas sociale bevægelser i 2015 ved at bruge sociologen Neil Smelsers value-added-analytiske ramme som et praktisk værktøj. Rammen, udviklet i 1962, beskriver seks betingelser, der gradvist bygger op til kollektiv handling, samt fire elementer, der former, hvordan mennesker handler i fællesskab. Undersøgelsen bruger rammen til at analysere de strukturelle forhold omkring bevægelserne, men overtager ikke Smelsers bredere teori om kollektiv adfærd. I stedet opdateres linsen med nyere forskningsperspektiver, især politisk proces-teori (hvordan politiske muligheder og institutioner åbner eller begrænser handling) og ressourcemobilisering (hvordan bevægelser skaffer og bruger mennesker, penge og netværk). Arbejdet kombinerer dermed tre tilgange—Smelsers value-added-ramme, politisk proces og ressourcemobilisering—for at teste, om den samlede tilgang kan forklare, hvorfor og hvordan bevægelserne opstod og handlede. Resultaterne, selvom de bygger på et enkelt case-studie, er positive: Rammen viser sig nyttig som analyselens, når den suppleres med nyere indsigter, og studiet peger samtidig på nødvendige opdateringer for at gøre rammen mere tidssvarende.

This thesis examines Guatemala’s social movements in 2015 using sociologist Neil Smelser’s value-added analytical framework as a practical lens. Developed in 1962, the framework outlines six conditions that build toward collective action and four elements that shape how people act together. The study applies this structure-focused lens without adopting Smelser’s broader theory of collective behavior. Instead, it updates the analysis with newer perspectives, especially political process theory (how political opportunities and institutions enable or constrain action) and resource mobilization (how movements gather and use people, money, and networks). Bringing these three approaches together—Smelser’s value-added model, political process, and resource mobilization—the thesis tests whether the combined lens helps explain why and how the movements formed and operated. Although based on a single case study, the results are positive: the framework remains useful when supplemented with recent research, and the study highlights needed updates to make it more suitable for contemporary movements.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Sociale bevægelser ; Guatemala ; Otto Perez Molina ; Roxanna Baldetti ; Political Process Theroy ; resource MObilization Theory ; Neil Smelser ; Smelser ; Neil

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Olsen, Daniel Rosengren:

• Crooks in the Capitol: Research in contemporary social movements: a case study of Guatemala 2015 (2016)