Main course page

  • Power and Social Change

     
    eL This course is for students interested in how power is exercised by people, organizations, and the state to bring about social change. The course combines theoretical insights with practical examples and discussions to help students understand power and social change and give them tools they can apply in projects, organizations, and their everyday lives. It features classical as well as critical approaches on power, politics, policy, social movements, and organization to provide students with a more holistic understanding of the possibilities, promises, and challenges of social change.
                                            

    EMAIL

    samantha.ortiz@novasbe.pt

    TA: maximilian.hauser@novasbe.pt

    OFFICE HOURS

    By appointment
        •  Course ENROLMENT key:  2025P

    • Please be reminded that all required readings must be completed before class. These readings have been uploaded to the designated folders or provided via direct links. Ensure you review the instructions for each reading carefully, as sometimes only a specific chapter or set of pages is required, rather than the entire document.

      We strongly encourage you to explore the extra readings as well. You can access these additional readings online or through the Nova SBE Library webpage: http://library.novasbe.unl.pt/.

      Thank you for your dedication and preparation!


◄10 February - 16 February24 February - 2 March►

17 February - 23 February

  • 17 February - 23 February

    Session 3: Mobilization and Organizing for Social Change

    In this session we discuss why and how people mobilize and come together to advance common goals. We examine theories of mobilization, social movements, and organizing for social change.

     

    Required readings:

    -       Ganz, M. (2000). Resources and resourcefulness: Strategic capacity in the unionization of California agriculture, 1959-1966. American journal of sociology, 105(4), 1003-1062.

    -       Polletta, F., & Jasper, J. M. (2001). Collective identity and social movements. Annual review of Sociology, 27(1), 283-305.

     

    Recommended readings:

    -       Alinsky, S. (1989). Rules for radicals: A pragmatic primer for realistic radicals. Vintage.

    -       Ganz, M. (2009). Why David sometimes wins: Leadership, organization, and strategy in the California farm worker movement. Oxford University Press.

    -       Polletta, F. (2009). It was like a fever: Storytelling in protest and politics. University of Chicago Press.

    -       Munson, Z. W. (2010). The making of pro-life activists: How social movement mobilization works. University of Chicago Press.

    -       Jasper, J. M. (2014). Protest: A cultural introduction to social movements. John Wiley & Sons.

    -       Moss, D. M., & Snow, D. A. (2016). Theorizing social movements. Handbook of contemporary sociological theory, 547-569.

    -       Tilly, C., & Wood, L. (2019). Social movements as politics. In Social Movements, 1768-2018 (pp. 3-17). Routledge.


◄10 February - 16 February24 February - 2 March►