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Sociology vocabulary · Social Change and Globalisation

Social movement

Meaning in sociology, with examples

nounCore term

In sociology, social movement means: An organised and lasting collective effort by a large group of people to bring about, or to resist, social or political change.

In Turkish: toplumsal hareket, sosyal hareket

How it is used

Sociologists study why movements emerge, how they mobilise resources and frame their message, and what they achieve. Textbook examples include the labour, civil rights, women's and environmental movements. 'New social movements' refers to identity- and lifestyle-based movements since the 1960s.

Example sentences

  1. The environmental movement is often described as a new social movement.

  2. Her thesis examines how a social movement used social media to recruit supporters.

Common collocations

  • new social movements
  • labour movement
  • mobilise support
  • social movement theory
  • powerThe ability of a person or group to achieve their goals or influence the behaviour of others, even when others resist.
  • ideologyA set of ideas and beliefs that explains how society works and how it should work, and that often supports the interests of a particular group.
  • social networkA set of relationships linking people, groups or organisations, through which information, support and resources can flow.
  • modernityThe type of society that emerged in Europe from around the eighteenth century, marked by industrialisation, urbanisation, the nation-state, science and a belief in progress.

More terms: Social Change and Globalisation

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