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Examining Public Opinion About Social Movements: The Social Bases of Progressive Social Movement Ideology
Unformatted Document Text:  1 EXAMINING PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS: THE SOCIAL BASES OF PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENT IDEOLOGY Aaron M. McCright Riley E. Dunlap Lyman Briggs School Department of Sociology and Anthropology Department of Sociology University of Central Florida Environmental Science and Policy Program Michigan State University EXTENDED ABSTRACT Social movement scholars recently have identified several gaps in our understanding of the ideational elements of movements. For instance, Mayer Zald (2000a) promotes an expanded agenda for movement research that elevates the belief systems and ideologies of movement activists, adherents, and bystanders as a central focus. In the process, Zald (2000a:7) identifies two phenomena demanding greater attention: (1) “the population’s consciousness of movements” and (2) the ideological basis of related movements. At the same time, other scholars—particularly Paul Burstein (1998, 1999) and Marco Giugni (1998, 1999)—call for increased attention to the role of public support and public opinion vis-à-vis social movements more generally. More specifically, Paul Stern and colleagues (1999:81) note the value of public support for the environmental movement: “general public support may be one of the most important resources for the environmental movement, and one that is critical in struggles to define social problems.” We argue that work within this latter trend on public opinion may provide a fruitful avenue for addressing the gaps regarding ideology identified by Zald and others. For their work on frames and framing processes, David Snow and Robert Benford (e.g., Benford and Snow 2000; Snow and Benford 1988, 1992; Snow et al. 1986) often receive credit for demonstrating the importance of ideas for movements. Yet, a research agenda focused on framing is only one avenue through which scholars may examine the role of ideas for movements. Indeed, several scholars are contributing to a resurgence of attention to the significance of ideology for understanding movement phenomena. While some work on the relationship between frames and ideology has been published since the mid-1980s (e.g., Snow and Benford 1988; Snow et al. 1986; Zald 1996), it is only in recent years that a sustained public discussion has emerged.

Authors: McCright, Aaron. and Dunlap, Riley.
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1
EXAMINING PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS:
THE SOCIAL BASES OF PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENT IDEOLOGY
Aaron M. McCright
Riley E. Dunlap
Lyman Briggs School
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Department of Sociology
University of Central Florida
Environmental Science and Policy Program
Michigan State University
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Social movement scholars recently have identified several gaps in our understanding of the
ideational elements of movements. For instance, Mayer Zald (2000a) promotes an expanded agenda for
movement research that elevates the belief systems and ideologies of movement activists, adherents, and
bystanders as a central focus. In the process, Zald (2000a:7) identifies two phenomena demanding greater
attention: (1) “the population’s consciousness of movements” and (2) the ideological basis of related
movements. At the same time, other scholars—particularly Paul Burstein (1998, 1999) and Marco Giugni
(1998, 1999)—call for increased attention to the role of public support and public opinion vis-à-vis social
movements more generally. More specifically, Paul Stern and colleagues (1999:81) note the value of
public support for the environmental movement: “general public support may be one of the most
important resources for the environmental movement, and one that is critical in struggles to define social
problems.” We argue that work within this latter trend on public opinion may provide a fruitful avenue
for addressing the gaps regarding ideology identified by Zald and others.
For their work on frames and framing processes, David Snow and Robert Benford (e.g., Benford
and Snow 2000; Snow and Benford 1988, 1992; Snow et al. 1986) often receive credit for demonstrating
the importance of ideas for movements. Yet, a research agenda focused on framing is only one avenue
through which scholars may examine the role of ideas for movements. Indeed, several scholars are
contributing to a resurgence of attention to the significance of ideology for understanding movement
phenomena. While some work on the relationship between frames and ideology has been published since
the mid-1980s (e.g., Snow and Benford 1988; Snow et al. 1986; Zald 1996), it is only in recent years that
a sustained public discussion has emerged.


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