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Social Movements Redux: How Global Forces Have Transformed Political Opportunity Structure
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Social Movements Redux:
How Global Forces Have Transformed Political Opportunity Structure
Emily Acevedo
Department of Politics and Policy
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, CA 91711
USA
## email not listed ##
Abstract
The Zapatista uprising of 1994 was a movement of firsts. It was the first
movement to utilize the Internet to broadcast its message around the world. It was the first movement that went beyond regime change and sought to raise the national and international consciousness toward the plight of indigenous peoples in Mexico. Although the dialogue between the Zapatistas and the Mexican government has reached an impasse with a tentative truce in the balance, the indigenous problems remain. No longer waiting for the Mexican government, the Zapatistas engage in another first – the creation of autonomous municipalities, with the aid of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), to address their economic and social concerns.
This recent merging of transnational funding with indigenous projects for self-
development calls on scholars to closely examine the relationship between NGOs and social movements. Previous studies of social movements focused primarily on domestic opportunities, such as the state or society, but it is my contention that recent shifts in NGO activity have rendered the political opportunity structure (POS) used to examine social movement behavior outdated. Does the collaboration of non-governmental organizations diminish the capacity of the state? It is my contention that the global shifts in POS in some ways have liberated the state and its resources for local movements to seize, however, these changes carry the potential to undermine the state’s capacity to effect policy.
This paper is a draft - Do not cite without prior permission from the author.
Comments appreciated.
Prepared for delivery at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association, Chicago, Illinois, February 28-March 3, 2007.
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Social Movements Redux:
How Global Forces Have Transformed Political Opportunity Structure
Emily Acevedo
Department of Politics and Policy
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, CA 91711
USA
## email not listed ##
Abstract
The Zapatista uprising of 1994 was a movement of firsts. It was the first
movement to utilize the Internet to broadcast its message around the world. It was the
first movement that went beyond regime change and sought to raise the national and
international consciousness toward the plight of indigenous peoples in Mexico. Although
the dialogue between the Zapatistas and the Mexican government has reached an impasse
with a tentative truce in the balance, the indigenous problems remain. No longer waiting
for the Mexican government, the Zapatistas engage in another first – the creation of
autonomous municipalities, with the aid of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), to
address their economic and social concerns.
This recent merging of transnational funding with indigenous projects for self-
development calls on scholars to closely examine the relationship between NGOs and
social movements. Previous studies of social movements focused primarily on domestic
opportunities, such as the state or society, but it is my contention that recent shifts in
NGO activity have rendered the political opportunity structure (POS) used to examine
social movement behavior outdated. Does the collaboration of non-governmental
organizations diminish the capacity of the state? It is my contention that the global shifts
in POS in some ways have liberated the state and its resources for local movements to
seize, however, these changes carry the potential to undermine the state’s capacity to
effect policy.
This paper is a draft - Do not cite without prior permission from the author.
Comments appreciated.
Prepared for delivery at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the International Studies
Association, Chicago, Illinois, February 28-March 3, 2007.
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