Contentious Politics

Charles Tilly and Sidney Tarrow

Revolutions, social movements, religious and ethnic conflict, nationalism and civil rights, and transnational movements: these forms of contentious politics combine in Charles Tilly's and Sidney Tarrow's Contentious Politics. The book presents a set of analytical tools and procedures for study, comparison, and explanation of these very different sorts of contention. Drawing on many historical and contemporary cases, the book shows that similar principles describe and explain a wide variety of struggles as well as many more routine forms of politics. Tilly and Tarrow have written the book to introduce readers to an exciting new program of political and sociological analysis.

Contentious Politics

Charles Tilly and Sidney Tarrow

Description

Revolutions, social movements, religious and ethnic conflict, nationalism and civil rights, and transnational movements: these forms of contentious politics combine in Charles Tilly's and Sidney Tarrow's Contentious Politics. The book presents a set of analytical tools and procedures for study, comparison, and explanation of these very different sorts of contention. Drawing on many historical and contemporary cases, the book shows that similar principles describe and explain a wide variety of struggles as well as many more routine forms of politics. Tilly and Tarrow have written the book to introduce readers to an exciting new program of political and sociological analysis.

Contentious Politics

Charles Tilly and Sidney Tarrow

List of Figures and Boxes
Preface
1. Making Claims
2. How to Analyze Contention
3. Regimes, Repertoires, and Opportunities
4. Contentious Interaction
5. Mobilization and Demobilization
6. Social Movements
7. Lethal Conflicts
8. Contention in Composite Regimes
9. Contention Today and Tomorrow
Appendix A: Concepts and Methods
Appendix B: Streams, Episodes, Mechanisms, and Processes
References
Index
About the Authors

Contentious Politics

Charles Tilly and Sidney Tarrow

Author Information

Sidney Tarrow is the Emeritus Maxwell M. Upson Professor of Government at Cornell University.

Charles Tilly (May 27, 1929-April 29, 2008) was the Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor of Social Science at Columbia University.

Contentious Politics

Charles Tilly and Sidney Tarrow

Reviews and Awards

"Among many things about the book, I especially like how the book gives students all they need to do their own research, including some great suggestions at the end."--Charles D. Brockett, Sewanee: The University of the South

"Two leading scholars have joined their considerable forces to assemble a conceptual framework for the study of contentious politics. A wonderful tool that should be in the toolkit of anybody who sets out to study contention, collective action, and politics"--Bert Klandermans, author of The Social Psychology of Protest and (with Nonna Mayer) Extreme Right Activists in Europe

"In this clearly written and highly accessible book, two of the world's leading scholars of social movements offer a theoretically innovative approach to the study of political conflict, suggesting clear guidelines for the rigorous exploration of contentious politics and illustrations from around the globe. The authors present an original research program that will help students to think critically about the origins and nature of various forms of contentious politics and to make connections between seemingly disparate types of political conflict. This is a wonderful teaching tool for courses in social theory, theory construction, political sociology, and social movements."--Ron Aminzade, Professor of Sociology, University of Minnesota

"This precious little book offers not only new illustrations but new ideas destined to open new debates on social mechanisms in social movements."--Donatella della Porta, European University Institute

"A state of the art guide to analyzing conflict from two grand masters. There is no finer tool for teaching students to understand the causes, processes, and outcomes of diverse forms of political contention."--Jack A. Goldstone, Hazel Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University

"This stimulating introduction to the study of contentious politics by two leading scholars is clearly written, loaded with interesting examples, and richly suggestive of new lines of inquiry. It is an excellent tool for enticing students to explore an exciting area of research."--Suzanne Staggenborg, Professor of Sociology, McGill University

"The extensive knowledge of the outstanding scholars Tilly and Tarrow is masterly condensed in Contentious Politics. This new intellectual journey of both authors is based upon a simple and familiar triad of features of social life: contention, collective action and politics. The permanent confrontation between concepts and social events makes the text an interesting and insightful as well as historical and fact based contribution. The book is an indispensable guide to the study of political science and international relations."--Roberto Dominguez, Department of Government, Suffolk University

"Contentious Politics is an excellent treatment of social movements: it is readable, yet sophisticated; straightforward but with lots fascinating detail; relevant and also scholarly. Congratulations to the authors on marvelous book!"--John C. Green, University of Akron