This collectivist theory is termed the Structural Strain theory. Dr. Smelser proposed it in 1962. This theory basically combines the above two theories together by arguing that social movements are initiated through the combination of many factors. It starts when individuals within a society realizes that there is a problem and that they are experiencing deprivation as a result of this problem. It continues through the propagation of solutions to this problem at a grassroots level, individuals are thus motivated by the proposed solutions to act for greater change on a regional and national level. This mixes in elements from the mass society theory, where individuals feel that they have found a solution that could be applicable to a broad spectrum of society. The essential difference within this theory is that individuals are motivated by a specific event that serves as a catalyst for their social movement. For the Civil Rights movement this catalyst was Martin Luther King Jr. And most specifically the organization of the million man march upon Washington D.C. It was this event and the "I have a dream" speech that ignited an entire nation to take notice of civil rights and eventually lead to major changes within the national conscience. Another notable factor is that individuals must feel that they are empowered to change. In essence the social institution or control must be susceptible to the changes demanded...
Through the process of enfranchisement individuals feel that they have the collective ability to influence national level policy. Only after all of these steps are resolves will actual mobilization of a social movement occur.
There cannot be one specific motivating factor why individuals join social movements, their implicit reasons are many and far between. Some individuals are motivated by personal reasons when they confront difficult or deprivation, while others are motivated by the sense of communal will dictated through social movements. In order for real change to be initiated a combination of all of these factors must occur and occur at the right now. When combining individual motivation with chance catalysts, causes can become ignited and result in massive changes on a societal level.
Melucci, Alberto 1995: The Process of Collective Identity, in: Johnston, Hank and Klandermans, Bert (ed.): Social Movements and Culture, London, S. 41-64
Cohen, Jean L. 1985: Strategy or Identity: New Theoretical Paradigms and Contemporary Social Movements in: Social Research, Vol. 52, No. 4, S. 663-716
Klandermans, Bert 1997: The Social psychology of Protest, Oxford, Blackwell Publishers
Klandermans, Bert (Hg.) 1989: Organizing for Change: Social Movement Organisations in Europe and the United States, Greenwich…
