"Not everyone can be an activist"

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Thu Feb 20 14:29:30 PST 2003



> It does make perfect sense. Can you post some references for
> us if possible?
>
McAdam, D. 1982. Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, 1930-1970. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

_________. 1986. "Recruitment to High-Risk Activism: The Case of Freedom Summer." American Journal of Sociology 92:64-90.

Rochford, E. B. 1982. "Recruitment Strategies, Ideology, and Organization in the Hare Krishna Movement." Social Problems 29:399-410.

Snow, D. A.; L. A. Zurcher & S. Ekland-Olson. 1980. "Social Networks and Social Movements: A Microstructural Approach to Differential Recruitment." American Sociological Review 45:787-801.

_________. 1983. "Further Thoughts on Social Networks and Movement Recruitment." Sociology 17:112-120.

Snow, D. A., E. B. Rochford, S. K. Worden & R. D. Benford. 1986. "Frame Alignment Process, Micromobilization, and Movement Participation." American Sociological Review 51:464-481.

See also

S. Wojciech Sokolowski, Show Me the Way to the Next Worthy Deed; towards a micorstructural theory of volunteering and giving, _Voluntas_ 1996 7(3):259-278


> But aren't you sort of throwing away the social connection
> part, as above,
> when you focus on "minimizing costs"? Sure, there are costs
> in all that we
> do, but when it comes to social connections, I'm not so
> convinced that
> "costs" are the first considerations that come to mind. Of
> course, both
> models are inadequate, but it may be more appropriate to view social
> connections as something that affects "utility" (well-being,
> happiness)...for modelling purposes that is.

I am not throwing away social connections. I simply argue that social connections minimize transaction costs. See:

Mark Granovetter, 1985, Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness, American Journal of Sociology, 91:481-510.

In other words, I do not want to throw away a rat choice model of human behavior, as many sociologists and social comentators do - I simply want to detsch it from the linear regression thinking and add more social/cognitive elements to it.

Wojek



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