What are the key characteristics of a social movement Use examples to Essay

What are the key characteristics of a social movement Use examples to explain any theoretical concepts you use - Essay Example Various social movements have different motivation for their actions, depending on their surrounding social, economic, and political environments. However, there are some key features that are common or at least applicable to most of them. My essay seeks to identify these key features as well as cite a few examples to explain the various theoretical concepts within the dynamics of a social movement. There are different types of social movements which have been identified by sociologists all over the world. These types are categorized depending on their scope; the type of change they advocate for or bring; their target groups; and how they operate. Considering scope, we can classify social movement as a reform or radical. A radical social movement aims to change certain value systems in a fundamental way. A good example of such a movement is the American Civil Rights Movement whose main aim was to fight for maximum civil rights for all Americans irrespective of the race they belonged to. There is also South Africa’s Shack Dwellers Movement, popularly known as ‘Abahali baseMjondolo,’ which fights for shack dwellers’ place in the city life. Reform social movement, on the other hand, works to change some norms and laws. Trade unions and green belt movements fall under this category (Ballard, et al., 2005, p622, Kendall, 2011, p. 540). A social movement may also be categorized depending on the type of change it intends to make. Under this we have innovation movement which aims to introduce or amend a given value. For instance, we have singularitarianism movement which fights for safety of technological singularity. We also have the conservative movement concerned with the preservation of current values and norms. A good example is the current movement against the introduction of genetically modified organisms. In addition, social movement may