Introduction to Collective Behavior and Collective Action

A thorough and involving treatment of an exciting and rapidly changing area of research! Over the last half-century, the field of collective behavior and collective action has generated some of the most innovative research methods in sociology. The second edition of this volume, now titled Introduction to Collective Behavior and Collective Action, provides the first systematic overview of collective action theory and research written at the undergraduate level. It is also the first to offer a side-by-side presentation of collective behavior and collective action theories, providing clarity of presentation and aiding in comparison and discussion of the two perspectives. The author creates an intuitive feel for the subject matter by using numerous, descriptive narratives that reduce the need for outside readings. The text covers traditional topics in addition to a strong and detailed treatment of protest and social movements. It also provides a comprehensive overview of historical material, various research methods and communication processes are discussed, including modern computer modeling techniques and the increasing influence of the Internet and other electronic media.