Political Science 795E - S-Collective Action/Polit Chng

This course examines the multiple, competing ways in which social scientists have theorized the roles of various kinds of collective actors in politics. We will consider a range of such actors, including interest groups, social movements ("old" and "new," national and transnational), civil society associations, non-governmental organizations, those social actors recently grouped under the label the "Third Sector," as well as current protest movements across the globe. Select case studies, largely from Latin America, Europe, and the US, will help ground our theoretical exploration.

Also open to SENIOR Polisci & CLACLS certificate students with permission of the Instructor. Instructor can be reached at: soniaa@polsci.umass.edu